Gillingham will be bringing in defensive cover following Elkan Baggott’s departure last week - and the manager wants another striker too.

Baggott, 20, was recalled by Ipswich Town and sent straight out on loan to League 1 Cheltenham Town for the remainder of the season. He wasn’t involved on Saturday in the club’s 4-2 defeat at Plymouth.

The Gills have been linked to their former loan man Conor Masterson following Baggott’s departure. The 24-year-old QPR centre-back was an ever-present in Neil Harris’ side at the back end of last season and doesn’t look like he’ll be involved much for the Championship side.

Harris, speaking to a fans’ forum before the weekend, said: “Elkan being recalled wasn't ideal. It leaves us short at centre-half so that is absolutely a priority.”

Following the weekend win at Colchester, he added: “We have lost Elkan and we need a centre-half, I need another attacking player at the top end of the pitch, a centre-forward, and I want to be able to be able to play whatever shape I want to play every week.

"If I want to play 3-5-2, 4-2-3-1 or a diamond, I need different players to fit different shapes and I need flexibility in the group and I need three or four more players.”

George Lapslie made his debut as a substitute on Saturday but fellow newcomers Jayden Clarke and Ethan Coleman weren’t named in the matchday squad and had to sit and watch, along with striker Scott Kashket. Olly Lee and Jordan Green weren’t involved.

Centre-forward Lewis Walker returned from injury but was an unused substitute while young forward Joe Gbode was picked as the "home grown" player in the matchday squad.

Harris will involve Clarke and Coleman when the time is right.

The manager said: “I have to get the balance between when my players are ready to be involved. Jayden hasn’t played professional football before so we have to be patient with him, Ethan wasn’t quite ready to be involved, physically, as well as maybe information wise, having only trained Friday morning.

“Ethan is more with a thought process to next week moving forward but also in the long-term as well.”

Harris named the same XI for the match at Colchester but hinted that things could changed for Swindon, who next up.

“Will it be the same next week? Possibly,” he said. “New players are going to come into the building and some might go straight into the team. I might change the team.”