Gillingham are hoping to give captain Doug Loft some minutes on the pitch in a practice game at Leyton Orient.

The Gills will travel to the League 2 side for a behind-closed-doors friendly match on Wednesday afternoon.

Loft is back in training following a calf injury that has kept him sidelined since the opening week of pre-season.

His only appearance since the end of last season was a 45 minute run-out against Folkestone Invicta in July.

“Doug will play in the game at Leyton Orient for 45 minutes,” Gills boss Justin Edinburgh confirmed.

“Hopefully there will be no reaction.”

If Loft gets through the match unscathed then he could be in line for a recall for Gillingham’s trip to Peterborough United on Saturday.

Edinburgh has also recently been boosted by the return of last season’s leading scorer Cody McDonald. He made his first appearance of the season during the second half of the League Cup defeat at Birmingham on Tuesday.