Gillingham’s ongoing injury problems are frustrating the life out of manager Steve Evans.

He was hoping to have had a couple of players back last weekend at Wycombe but was left disappointed as neither were ready. By the end of play Saturday he had another in the treatment room.

Speaking after Saturday’s match, he said: “If people are frustrated at not seeing them they want to live in my head. It is not a very good place at the minute when you you are constantly watching lots of players, very good players, not being available for selection.”

He had high hopes that both Ryan Jackson and Mustapha Carayol could be back available to play. Both trained in the lead up to the weekend.

Evans said: “On the Thursday I thought they would have been available for selection on Saturday. By the time Friday’s training session finished neither were available.

“It is really difficult to manage when in training on Thursday you are thinking ‘I have Jackson available, although maybe not right away to start. Carayol is a lot fitter because he played more recently and he could gave been available to start. He is as good a wide player as there is in the league.”

A handful of injuries to a small squad are having a big impact.

Evans has already ruled left-back David Tutonda out for this weekend’s game with Sunderland. He broke down in pain at Wycombe and needed helping from the field after picking up a hamstring injury. It’s not clear just how serious that is.

Watford midfielder Daniel Phillips remains some way off recovery.

Updating his progress, following ankle ligament damage, Evans said: “Dan will be another two weeks for the air boot to come off and another four to build his fitness up.

“We came out of Colchester and he was fine but two days later he says he is feeling something and that is what the diagnosis of the scan was.”

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