Gillingham boss Mark Bonner expects competition for places to hot up as players start returning from injury.

Bonner’s been missing several big players recently, with summer signings Armani Little and Elliott Nevitt picking up knocks, along with playmaker Jonny Williams.

With George Lapslie and Josh Andrews also absent and Ethan Coleman missing all of pre-season so far, Bonner’s been using the best of the club’s youngsters to fill up the spaces in the first team.

Those young players are expected to return to the youth team, or head out on loan, as the seniors return.

Lapslie and Williams could return to action this weekend for the match against Woking while Little is also back on the grass as he returns to the fold.

Bonner said: “There are a lot of younger ones (who have been involved) and we need a few more of the senior ones back to make sure we get the squad back up to the strength and depth that we need.

“Everyone is working well, and hopefully this week will be a busy one.”

The Gills have a behind-closed-doors match against Southampton under-21s today (Tuesday) before finishing off their pre-season programme at National League Woking on Saturday.

Bonner said: “(Tuesday’s game) will give everyone some more minutes and more time playing together on a lovely surface at Southampton which will be good.

“We have to challenge ourselves to be good on the ball in that game and then we will have a blank week going into Carlisle (for the season opener) to see where we are.”

Bonner and the medical team are being cautious with Nevitt and Andrews as they don’t want to hurry them back into action too soon.

Bonner said: “Maybe at the back end of the week we will see them but we don’t want to rush that.”

Young pro Alex Giles is also expected back in training this week while fellow first-year Josh Bayliss is another one nursing his way back in after picking up a muscle injury early on in pre-season.

Bonner said: “The majority are back in this week, or should be the next, which will make the squad look a bit more senior and that’s good because that creates nice competition.

“We want to be going into Saturday’s game with a strong, senior 18 so that we are getting well prepared for the season.”