RONNIE JEPSON missed Gillingham's League 1 clash at Bournemouth on Saturday because he was on a scouting trip.

This mission, believed to be to Scotland, came just a week after Jepson flew to Spain on a similar excercise as his quest for summer recruits goes far and wide.

Jepson's right-hand man Mick Docherty and chief scout Alan McLeary took charge of first team affairs at the weekend.

Docherty said: "The gaffer trusts me. I’ve been manager before up at Hartlepool and I kept Sunderland in what is now the Premiership a few years ago.

"I know who the gaffer is here and he's done a fantastic job and a lot of credit goes to him."

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