Remeao Hutton missed Gillingham’s midweek match in an effort to prevent a small injury from becoming a big one.
Right-back Hutton had started every league game for the Gills this season but was left out on Tuesday night for their match against Grimsby Town, which ended in a 1-0 defeat.
Hutton’s place in the team was taken by Robbie McKenzie.
Manager Mark Bonner explained after the match why the 26-year-old was left out.
“(He had) a bit of tight hamstring after Saturday,” said the Gills boss.
“He was a bit touch-and-go really, but if it was a play-off final we’d have played him, definitely.
“On game nine of the season, we don’t need to put him at risk and miss him for six to eight weeks. That’s why we’ve got a squad.”
McKenzie’s a natural at right-back but has been used as a defensive midfielder since the start of the season – covering for the loss of Ethan Coleman.
With Hutton out, it meant McKenzie returning to defence and Coleman getting his place back in the middle of the park, having started on the bench at the weekend.
Bonner said: “Robbie can do that job, which has been good for him. It allowed Ethan to go in and get some minutes.
“We’re trying to keep as many fit as we can for as long as possible and get some up to speed at the same time.
“Hopefully we’ll see Hutts later in the week and get him out there on Saturday but we’ll just see as the week goes on.”
Bradley Dack was absent again, having come off the bench at the weekend to make his first league appearance since returning to the club.
It was a pre-planned scenario and Bonner now hopes the attacking midfielder will be available for the weekend trip to Crewe.
He said: “He’s having a full training week so we’ll see him being involved again at the weekend.”
Bonner was able to include midfielder Tim Dieng on Tuesday, introducing him off the bench.
The Frenchman had been out injured for over a month.
“He’s a bit of a bonus,” said the manager.
“He’s back sooner than we thought he would be, which is good and a few of the others are working really hard at the moment that might come back a bit earlier than we had thought as well.
“The numbers are good and with all of those, they just need time on the pitch to try and get themselves up to speed, which is not ideal, but it’s the way we’re going to have to use them to get them ready, to make sure we can rotate the squad the way that we need to.
“Any time that we get any of them on at the moment is a bonus. It was good to see him back out there.”
