Those on the fringes of Gillingham’s matchday squad are playing their part in the team’s upturn in form.

Competition has increased dramatically since the January transfer window, with players now fighting just to make the matchday squad. Even the captain can’t get in.

Manager Neil Harris has plenty of players at his disposal and put on a 60-minute practice game during the week to give those in a reserve a much-needed match.

“It was excellent,” he said of Tuesday's match. “It was a great exercise, an opportunity for all the lads who have needed minutes, like Stuey (O’Keefe), Ethan Coleman, Jayden Clarke, Hakeeb Adelakun, Tristan Abrahams, Jake Turner and younger lads like Bailey Akehurst and Ike Orji (a recent addition from Chatham Town) who got minutes as well. Everyone came through unscathed.

“It is going to be one of my challenges this week to pick an 18 - or 17 without a homegrown player - it is another challenge just to do that and credit to the players that are missing out at the moment. They need support but they keep driving the players infront of them by performing well in training.

“We have extra numbers now and they are quality players. What you tend to get with players that are trying to impress every day is that they drive standards and they make demands in their own way, not by voice as youngsters, but in the quality and energy, they put their own demands on people around them to keep up.”

Aside from a Kent Senior Cup fixture, Ethan Coleman and Jayden Clarke - January signings from Leyton Orient and Dulwich Hamlet respectively - have yet to play for the Gills.

Asked if they would feature this season, Harris said: “Quite possibly. It might depend on where we are in the division and how quickly they adapt to full-time football, in Jayden’s case, Ethan has already done it at Orient for a period and then at Bromley (on loan). (It's about) getting to know the lads and how we want to play.

“Sometimes it is about time on the training pitch and friendly games, for me to build trust in them and opportunity might dictate, injury or suspension. I am certainly not thinking that because they are young and they have come in from non-league football that they will not play this year, not at all.”

Harris says the possibility of them heading back out into non-league this season on loan is “constantly under review.”

Midfielder Coleman has been close to being involved, as the next in line to fill the bench in the matchday squad. “He hasn’t made the bench but is very, very close to it,” said Harris. “I think he is a really good player, the more I see of him the more I like him.

“Jayden has a lot more rawness to his game, technically excellent, really good and great end product, he is learning the all-round game with and without the ball. I am really confident in the signings that we have made, it is just how quickly we can develop them into first team players.”

Experienced winger Callum Harriott, meanwhile, is back training after recovering from injury, and a decision on whether he gets another deal is imminent. The 28-year-old is currently out of contract.

Harris said: “He is not 100% but he is not far away so we are getting to a stage where there has to be a discussion where Callum fits with us, do we fit for Callum, we will probably get into that position with Callum next week. Attitude and commitment-wise he has been excellent and a lad who shows us regularly that he has pedigree.”

Summer recruit Jordan Green has already been told he has no future at the Gills under Harris and there has been some interest.

Harris said: “Jordan has had an opportunity to go out and play, he chose not to, which is his prerogative.

“He trains with the group the majority of the time. Jordan goes about his business, if he wants to go and play in the National League now then that is absolutely fine with us, but he has to agree to it.”

Another winger not getting any action is Hakeeb Adelakun, on loan from Lincoln City. The League 1 side chose not to recall him in January as he was getting plenty of minutes but he hasn’t now played for a month - falling down the pecking order after an influx of new talent.

Harris said: “He wants to play, he is not happy about not playing, but he understands. He has had a lot if opportunities and it hasn't quite happened for him so far. He played 60 minutes on Tuesday and is training every day. Hakeeb knows that when his chance comes he has to grab it.”

Fellow recent loan recruits Aiden O’Brien (Shrewsbury) and Conor Masterson (QPR), meanwhile, have been showing consistent form. Permanent deals could be offered to both at some point, but for now, Harris said: “I am not going to comment on their futures at the moment, way too soon. We’re really pleased with both, it is early days.

“We are in a really good place at the moment and I'm fully aware I have got players out of contract that are starting to think about their futures over the coming weeks. More importantly at the moment it is about churning about performances and results."