Last season’s leading goalscorer Tom Eaves won't be rushed back from injury.

Eaves has missed Gillingham's last two pre-season games with an ankle injury and looks set to be sidelined again on Saturday.

The 26-year-old scored 18 goals for the Gills last season, in his first year at the club, but could miss the start of the new campaign.

Gills boss Steve Lovell said: “We will have to see with Tom, he is still not 100% right and there is still a bit of pain there but I am not going to rush anybody back, there is no need.

“There is a long old season coming up, we have to take care of the players and make sure we protect them and do the right things for them when they are injured. We will wait and see how he is.”

Report: Dartford 0 Gillingham 3

Asked if he could miss the season opener in a fortnight’s time, Lovell admitted he didn’t know, saying: “It has to settle down. It is still swollen and we have to make sure we do the right things with him.

“Tom is an honest enough boy and he will tell us when he feels right. We will do the right medical things with him to make sure he is right because it is important we have everyone fit for the start of the season, none more so than Tom, because he was our top scorer last year.

“I am not going to force anyone back and risk them being out for a long time through injury. We have to manage it, see how he responds to treatment and if it means he misses the start of the season then he misses the start and there is nothing we can do about it. We have enough here to get by.”

Read more in this Thursday's Medway Messenger newspaper