Gillingham hope striker Vadaine Oliver can overcome a rib injury in time to face Wigan Athletic at Priestfield
06:00, 30 September 2021
Top scorer Vadaine Oliver is an injury doubt for Gillingham this weekend.
Oliver picked up a rib injury in the 2-0 win at Cambridge United on Tuesday night having opened the scoring at The Abbey Stadium.
It was Oliver’s fourth league goal of the campaign and the Gills will hope he can recover in time for their clash with high-flying Wigan Athletic on Saturday.
Speaking about the injury on Tuesday, Evans said: “He felt the inside of his ribs where he has had a couple of elbows and that happens in general play, no complaints, but we had to take him off and that’s not ideal so he is very doubtful for Saturday.”
John Akinde was back in the starting eleven, however. Oliver’s injury meant he had to play the full 90 minutes, rather than the 75-max that was planned. But he got through it.
Akinde had been struggling with a foot injury.
Evans said: “I had a little chat with John and said you would have to go the distance and I thought he was really powerful, he was purposeful, their two centre-backs will have known they were in a game with John Akinde and Vadaine Oliver because we had the positive, the strong and the powerful John Akinde, we need that more weeks than we don’t get it.”
Gillingham could have Mustapha Carayol back in contention if the Gills can get him training on the grass before the weekend. Ryan Jackson and Dan Phillips seem unlikely to return while Stuart O’Keefe has been struggling with a shoulder injury.
Defender Jack Tucker returns after a one-game ban.
Tucker was replaced at centre-half on Tuesday by Rhys Bennett, lining up alongside Max Ehmer. The pair stood strong to help earn the Gills a clean sheet.
Evans commented: “Rhys is a good centre back, that is why we signed him, to play in that role. We are always going to miss Tucker because he is a special talent but Rhys went in and did really well.”
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