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Gillingham waiting patiently to add to their attacking department

It’s a waiting game for the Gills as they look to strengthen their forward line.

Manager Steve Evans revealed last weekend that a bid had been lodged for a striker playing at a higher level.

The Gills, as of Tuesday night, were still awaiting an answer.

Gillingham boss Steve Evans is working hard to bring in more forwards Picture: Andy Jones
Gillingham boss Steve Evans is working hard to bring in more forwards Picture: Andy Jones

Assistant boss Paul Raynor accepted it was part of the game, as clubs across the country look to finalise their plans ahead of the transfer deadline.

Raynor, who was on press duty after Tuesday night’s friendly win over Dartford, said: “Clubs have got their own targets and if they can get one in then we might be able to get one (of theirs) out.

“We will have to wait and see whether a bid has been accepted or not, whether they can get the guy in they want.

“It’s just like a big merry-go-round and things drop into place at times. It is a bit of a waiting game at the moment unfortunately but if we are patient then hopefully we can get the right persons in.

“We could bring any number of players in but they have to be the right people to play the way we want to play, the right characters, and they have to make us better and that is the case, making us better to our goal threat.”

The Gills have had former Colchester forward Mikael Mandon on trial and he’s played the last two friendly matches.

Mikael Mandron has played in Gills' last two friendly matches Picture: Andy Jones
Mikael Mandron has played in Gills' last two friendly matches Picture: Andy Jones

Gillingham tried two different formations on Tuesday as they looked to see what the player could do.

“We wanted to see our trialist upfront as a target man,” Raynor said. “That has been his role in his previous clubs.

“We wanted to see him in that lone striker role and see if we could get enough support to him. The ball didn’t stick in the first period but it did a little more in the second, we got a little closer to him and we were a bit more of a goal threat in that 15 minutes that the guys who started the game played.

“He is in for the next couple of days, we will chat between ourselves (the management) and we will formulate the options we’ve got, whether he is one of them or not.”

Elliott List played upfront for the Gills at Dartford in the opening half Picture: Andy Jones
Elliott List played upfront for the Gills at Dartford in the opening half Picture: Andy Jones

Full-back Joe Skarz has also been on trial but picked up an injury last weekend at Folkestone.

Raynor said: “He got a knock but obviously we will need to look at that area and see. If he has a knock that’s obviously a no-go at the moment anyway and that’s unfortunate for him. It’s an area we would like to improve in terms of another body, we will wait and see.”

Gillingham face a busy weekend, sending a young team to Chatham on Friday night (7pm kick off) before hosting both Charlton Athletic on Saturday (2pm) and Millwall on Sunday (1pm).

Read more: The latest sports news in Kent

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