Defender Max Ehmer will miss Gillingham’s festive fixtures.

Manager Steve Lovell is preparing to be without him until the trip to Burton Albion on January 12.

Ehmer dislocated his collarbone in the recent win at Scunthorpe and has been replaced in the centre of defence by Alex Lacey.

“Max is going to miss the Christmas period,” confirmed Lovell. “It is improving every day but he is in a bit of discomfort and can’t raise his arm up past his shoulder height. He has got to get the full range of movement before he can do anything.

“We will see how he goes but he won’t be too long into the new year until he is back.

“You never know with Max, he has come back from injuries before a lot quicker and so we know he is a good healer.”

Lovell admitted his replacement Lacey looked “nervous and apprehensive” against Wycombe last weekend but has confidence that the defender will improve.

“He got better as the game went on,” said Lovell. “He hasn’t played a lot of football with us this year so it’s understandable.

“He has had a couple of injuries he has had to get over but as the game went on he got more confident.

“It is a good opportunity for him, he did all right Saturday so let’s see how he improves as the Christmas period goes on.”

Lacey is in the second season of a two-year contract having signed from Yeovil for free. Holding down a regular place has proved tough, with Ehmer and Gabriel Zakuani first pick.

The opportunity is now there to stake a claim.

Lovell added: “I had a chat with Alex, quite ironically, a couple of weeks ago when he wasn’t in the team.

“I said things can change very quickly in football, we could have a suspension, or an injury, then you have to take a chance.

“We didn’t want Max to get injured but now him being out gives him the opportunity and let’s see how he goes. If he keeps playing well then there is no reason to change it.”

Lovell does have other options, with Barry Fuller, Connor Ogilvie, Luke O’Neill and Billy Bingham all capable of filling in, but the club are still a natural centre-half short.

Last season they had four on the books, with Ben Nugent in the squad, but he rejected the offer to stay in the summer. It’s an area Lovell will assess again when the January transfer window opens.

He said: “Going into the next part of the season it might be something we look at, in January, as we would the other positions.

“We will see where we are after Boxing Day. We have lists of players if we do need to strengthen, where we would like to go and get. We will wait and see. If everyone is fit we have a squad that is decent.”