Gillingham’s weekend defeat to AFC Wimbledon was made worse after captain Max Ehmer went off injured with a dislocated shoulder.

The 2-1 loss to the Dons put a dent in their play-off hopes but the Gills will be hoping for better news regarding their inspirational centre-back.

Ehmer picked up the injury after a nasty fall in the box.

Assistant boss Paul Raynor spoke glowingly about Ehmer prior to the match during the club’s fans’ forum, picking him out as his player-of-the-season so far, and there will be fingers crossed that his injury isn’t serious.

Raynor also felt Ehmer was a key man in Saturday’s defeat.

“Max held us together at the back,” said Raynor.

“Barry Fuller is Barry and he gives us what he has got, he put in a solid performance. I thought Jack Tucker wasn’t quite at it. The boy Joe Pigott caused him a few problems with his aggression and his movement, and Connor Ogilvie wasn’t his usual self.

“I thought, particularly first half, Max held us together to a degree. It’s disappointing and let’s hope it is not too serious and with treatment we can get him out there.”

Ehmer has suffered with his shoulder previously and there will be hope he can ride this injury out, too.

Raynor said: “It just popped out for a split second and we will see how it settles down. Hopefully it isn’t too serious and he will be available (for Saturday’s game at Sunderland) but it is early days.

“We are aware it has been a problem before. Fingers crossed it is not too serious.”

Gillingham have a threadbare squad and hopes of adding extra additions from the pool of free agents has so far come to nothing. Boss Steve Evans said last week they weren’t prepared to wait around forever on one player.

Evans, speaking before the weekend, commented: “The player we were looking at didn’t make a decision so I made it for him. We are still looking.”

Young midfielder Henry Woods is the only other senior player at present who wasn’t named in the weekend matchday squad.

Loan striker Jordan Roberts dropped to the bench after picking up a knock the previous week, against Lincoln.

He returned to training on Thursday but was unused.

Raynor said: “He got a real nasty knock on his shoulder at Lincoln and he struggled with it all week. He tried again Thursday and joined the session because he is desperate to play but we thought let’s err on the side of caution and put him on the bench.

“He probably wasn’t 100%. Fingers crossed for next week. It was just bone bruising on the shoulder. Hopefully with a full week’s training, he should be available to be in contention.”

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