Gillingham were missing loan striker Asher Agbinone at the weekend and the manager explained why.
Boss John Coleman picked Agbinone to start last week’s game against Doncaster Rovers, after the Gills signed him on loan from Crystal Palace, but he was unavailable this weekend.
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Agbinone suffered a back issue in the Doncaster game, and it was a back-related injury that prevented him from lining up against Tranmere Rovers on Saturday.
He wasn’t the only one who couldn’t play, with Ethan Coleman making the trip but picking up an injury of his own.
The manager said: “Asher was injured and Ethan Coleman was injured. Although Ethan was named on the bench, he didn’t get stripped, so Ethan couldn’t play. They were two injuries.
“(Asher was) just a back injury, but hopefully he’ll be able to travel to Grimsby on Tuesday.”
The Gills didn’t have anyone else in the travelling party to make up the numbers. Both Aaron Rowe and Tim Dieng were fit but neither of them made the squad. They will be pushing to be involved at Grimsby on Tuesday night.
“We’ve got a big squad,” said the manager, when asked about those who missed out. “You can only put seven on the bench. You’ve got to pick what you think is right for the day.”
The Gills looked tired late on at Tranmere, up against it in the closing stages, and Coleman accepted he could have handled the substitutions differently.
Max Clark went on early in the second half as Coleman switched formation, Oli Hawkins replaced Jimmy-Jay Morgan after he picked up a knock and top scorer Jayden Clarke went on with seven minutes left to replace Jack Nolan.
Joe Gbode and Jonny Williams were the unused outfield replacements.
Coleman admitted the team’s lack of energy late on was a worry but said: “In hindsight now, I might have made different subs, or I might have made more subs.
“I chose to use them as three separate intervals, so I could only use three. I have to look at myself in the mirror, and that’s what I’ll do first and foremost.
“Looking back, I possibly should have made a couple of double substitutions, but hindsight, it’s a wonderful thing. You’re not expecting us to go out like a light like some of us did in the last five minutes. You’re not expecting that, because I wasn’t seeing that. I was seeing a lot of effort.
“I just don’t want to be competing with games. I want to be winning games.
“The sooner we start winning, the better for me.”
Morgan picked up a cut to his foot early on after a poor challenge and eventually went off after a bruising afternoon. Coleman expects him to be fit for the midweek game, however.
