ANDY HESSENTHALER is demanding a repeat performance from his players after Tuesday’s true grit earned Gillingham a deserved point away to play-off certainties Sheffield United on Tuesday.

Saturday’s home game against play-off hopefuls Ipswich sees the side’s first return to Priestfield since Saturday’s 6-0 humiliation at Wolves.

But any prospect of the players receiving a hot reception from their fans dissolved with Tuesday’s return to form at Bramall Lane.

The Gills boss and his players know they would have won the game against FA Cup semi-finalists had Mamaday Sidibe not missed six golden chances.

Hessenthaler said: “I would like to think that we’ve purged the memory of what happened at Wolves and got it out of our systems."

However, Gillingham’s chances of returning to winning ways are being hampered by a lengthening of the club’s injured list.

Hessenthaler is already without goalkeeper Jason Brown and striker Sidibe through international call-ups with the Wales Under-21 side and Mali respectively.

In addition, he will be forced to watch the match from the bench owing to a hamstring strain sustained in training last week.

Centre-back Barry Ashby remains out of contention with a hamstring strain while Simon Osborn and top-scorer Paul Shaw were forced to limp out of Tuesday's match. Both were on target on Tuesday. Osborn sustained a knee injury while Shaw aggravated an ankle problem.

Hessenthaler is hoping Rod Wallace will have recovered from a shin injury to partner Tommy Johnson in attack. If not Guy Ipoua will be recalled after being told he will not be given a new contract for next season.