Gillingham have been hit by illness and it could have an impact on manager Neil Harris’ team selection this weekend.

Harris shuffled his side around for the midweek goalless draw at Stockport as players were suffering, making four changes to his starting XI. Some players travelled independently to avoid spreading the bug around.

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“Players had to step up [on Tuesday],” Harris said. “We had a bit of illness in the camp and also some players in dangerous territory injury-wise, so I chose to make the changes to play a system.

“Tristan Abrahams came in to play up top and Oli Hawkins wasn’t available to go again from the start. I couldn’t put Aiden O’Brien on even though he was a named sub [because of injury]. It was needs-must a bit.

“I will be mindful of who comes in [to training] and who is needed on what days. For us at the moment to be competitive I have to make sure the 11 I put on the pitch are ready to go. I have to make sure on Saturday they are in the right state physically and health-wise.”

Harris took Stuart O’Keefe and newcomer Lewis Page with the squad to Stockport on Tuesday, knowing he might have had to call on them at any moment.

He said: “They have been mega in training and I just wanted to keep them close to it and because of illness and injury.

“We are pleased George Lapslie got some minutes because he wasn’t going to be included and a couple of lads had to drive up separately because they were rough, nothing Covid-related.

“We will see how we recover and then think about a team and a system for Saturday.”

The Gills put on a defensive performance at Stockport on Tuesday but will have to be more expansive at home to mid-table Tranmere.

Speaking about the defensive mentality at Stockport, Harris said: “We could have gone toe-to-toe and got beat 3-0, maybe hitting the bar a couple of times and people say ‘you are unlucky’, but no, we needed to get something from the game.

“I made the decision with (assistant manager) David Livermore’s support that we were going to play that shape and we were going for a clean sheet. If it didn’t work then it was my fault, the lads bought into it and understood it and they delivered the game plan.

“We had to ride our luck, Glenn Morris had to make a couple of good saves and we had to defend our box, they hit the woodwork a couple of times but that is what you have to do against good teams.”

That followed a goalless draw at Harrogate on Saturday.

Harris said: “Those are two really good points on the road at this stage of the season but we have to back it up with a home performance now.”