Gillingham manager Neil Harris says he’s sending a strong team to face Southern Counties East side Bearsted on Tuesday night.

While Harris is unlikely to risk any of his key men days before the League 2 season starts, the midweek match will be a final chance to get extra minutes into some of the players that need it.

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Alex MacDonald was an unused substitute at Southend on Saturday and the club have been cautious about over-playing him during the pre-season campaign after a long time out injured.

Right-back Cheye Alexander came on late at the weekend and might benefit from an extra run-out while youngsters Joe Gbode, Bailey Akehurst, Matt MacArthur, Freddie Carter and Alex Giles could also feature.

Speaking about the week ahead, Harris said: “Physically, running-wise, that winds down, and it did last week because of the amount of games we had in a short space of time, and the tight group we have got.

“This week becomes preparation for Wimbledon and that can be video work, walk through work, but ultimately it is going to be about playing against Wimbledon all week to make sure we are right against them, and it will be a balance between some lads in the group playing at Bearsted on Tuesday night.

“We will be taking a strong side there, just to top minutes up and making sure they get what they need so that when we get to Thursday morning we have a group that is ready to train but also a group that, physically, we have got the most out of them as far as we can push them before that opening day of the season.”

Gillingham’s League 2 campaign starts with a trip to Wimbledon on Saturday.