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Gillingham boss Peter Taylor will divide his squad between games at Dover Athletic and Faversham Town

Gills management team Peter Taylor and Andy Hessenthaler Picture: Keith Gillard
Gills management team Peter Taylor and Andy Hessenthaler Picture: Keith Gillard

Gillingham will be competing on two fronts on Tuesday night.

Peter Taylor’s League 1 side will be facing Kent opponents Dover and Faversham.

While boss Taylor takes an XI to Dover’s Crabble, assistant manager Andy Hessenthaler will be overseeing a team at Faversham’s Salters Lane.

Taylor wants his senior players to start playing 90 minutes and that means splitting the squad in half.

The Gills boss said: “I am going to have to split the squad up a bit, which isn’t ideal, but players now need 90 minutes. We are going to mix a few things up.”

Taylor has rated full-backs Joe Martin and Matt Fish as “doubtful” with both carrying knocks.

Martin missed Saturday’s match against Ipswich Town with an on-going ankle injury, which he aggravated last week at Dartford, while Fish injured himself while colliding with the upright at Priestfield.

Gillingham's former captain Adam Barrett spent the first half of the season at AFC Wimbledon Picture: Keith Gillard
Gillingham's former captain Adam Barrett spent the first half of the season at AFC Wimbledon Picture: Keith Gillard

Both are unlikely to be risked. Taylor also said on Monday that transfer-listed defender Adam Barrett was being left out. Any injury now could scupper any potential move away from Gillingham.

Josh Pritchard (ankle) is still not fit to play.

“He might be struggling to get a game in before MK Dons (the season opener), said Taylor.

“He might be fit for that but his chances of being selected are probably low.”

Gillingham trialist Josh Stanford in action against Welling Picture: Keith Gillard
Gillingham trialist Josh Stanford in action against Welling Picture: Keith Gillard

Trialist winger Josh Stanford is still training at the club and he is set for an outing at either Dover or Faversham.

Taylor spent a brief spell at Dover in the 1995/96 season – guiding them to safety in the Conference.

“I enjoyed Dover and it was a good place,” he said. “I am sure it will be a hard game.

“They let John Ryan go after he had won the first game and then lost the next 10. They made a change and my remit was to try and keep them up. Thankfully we kept them up but we did have a bit of luck because only so many teams went down that year.”

The games at Dover and Faversham both kick off at 7.30pm.

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