Gillingham manager Andy Hessenthaler will leave his weekend team selection until late on to give his walking wounded time to prove their fitness.

A sickness bug has swept through the club in the last fortnight with Simon King and Danny Kedwell becoming the latest victims of the bug.

Hessenthaler hopes to have both players back fighting fit as his team move ever closer to returning to the League 2 play-off positions.

A fourth straight win against Barnet on Tuesday night leaves them just one point outside the top seven.

But, with Garry Richards now out for the rest of the season, Hessenthaler's problems in choosing a team for the visit of Crewe on Saturday are making the promotion push a real test.

Hessenthaler said: "We have to wrap the players up and see who is available.

"I have never known anything like it, with injuries, illness and suspension."

Hessenthaler was boosted by the return to training of Matt Fish and Andy Frampton and hopes both King and Kedwell will have shaken off their illness by the weekend.

Gavin Tomlin and Curtis Weston are definitely out while Jo Kuffour, Jack Evans and Jack Payne are all major doubts. Joe Martin serves the second of a three-game ban. Richards joins Ross Flitney, Barry Fuller and Adam Birchall on the long-term injury list.

Despite the on-going problems, the Gills have maintained a winning run in the league.

"The momentum is with us and if we can get a few players back from injury and pull together even more, then we can definitely achieve something this year," said Hessenthaler.

"If we win our game in hand we are only six points off third, believe it or not. Twelve games to go, anything can happen."

Who do you think Gillingham need back to fitness first? Have your say below.