Gillingham picked up a couple more injuries in their weekend FA Cup defeat at Newport County.

The Gills have been struggling for consistency in team selection and have been unable to go with a preferred 4-3-3 formation due to injuries to a couple of wingers.

Now they’ve picked up injuries to a couple of key central midfield players.

Gillingham went to Newport without keeper Glenn Morris after his injury the week before, and Jonny Williams, who was available again following suspension, but ruled out through injury.

Now, captain Armani Little - who had only just won his place back in the starting eleven after a month out injured - and ever-present Robbie McKenzie, were both forced off in the weekend defeat.

Nelson Khumbeni came on at the break for Little while McKenzie - who had dropped into defence for the FA Cup clash - was replaced by loan man Travis Akomeah in extra-time.

Assistant boss Richard Dobson said: “Unfortunately, Armani Little felt something at half-time and Nelson [Khumbeni] got his opportunity.

“It just goes to show you're always close. Never give up on it. Never stop training properly because the team needs you, and sometimes that door opens in front of you.

“Robbie was tight, and it was one that we didn't want to risk going forward. We'll assess that one and see how he is. Hopefully there's nothing there, it's just a tightness, but there were a few players towards the end that were feeling the long game in their legs.”

Commenting on the injury to Jonny Williams, Dobson said: “Jonny's picked up something in training, something that's been recurring for a little while that he's been carrying.

“He felt it again in training this week so it was not something that we wanted to risk at the weekend. We'll see how that one carries over the next couple of weeks.”

The Gills still haven’t been able to involve attacking midfielder Euan Williams since a pre-season injury while loan man Jonny Smith and fellow winger Garath McCleary have both been injured since the home game against Harrogate Town in late September.

It’s meant Dobson hasn’t had it easy while taking charge in Gareth Ainsworth’s continued absence.

He said: “It's changed a lot and the substitutions you're making sometimes are forced again. Possibly not ones that we would have preferred to have made but it is what it is.

“There's no point moaning about it, we've just got to get on with it.”

Khumbeni hasn’t had much action this season but got a chance after Little’s injury and Dobson said: “I had to tell Nelson that I [was leaving] him out of the squad a couple of weeks ago, which he was disappointed with, but football changes so quickly.

“I had a conversation with him during the week and said to him, ‘You've just got to stay ready because you never know when the opportunity might come.’

The Gills were without first-choice keeper Glenn Morris for the weekend clash but Dobson has been pleased with back-up goalie Jake Turner.

He said: “Jake's trained very well. So this is his moment, this is his chance.

“He's going to have a run of games now and it's up to him to show everybody what he's all about.

“He's had to be very patient, but he's a really good lad, trained excellently and this is his time. Let's hope that he shines.”

Akomeah, 19, has now made three appearances for the Gills, all in cup competitions, but the Watford loan defender hasn’t played any minutes in the league yet.