Gillingham assistant manager Richard Dobson admits his side are “short on numbers” in attack as injuries continue to mount ahead of Saturday’s League 2 encounter with Cheltenham Town.
The Gills head into the weekend on the back of two straight league defeats and an EFL Trophy loss at Colchester United, with their attacking options severely depleted.
League Two 
Dobson: “We’re Short on Good Players”
Speaking to KentOnline, Dobson confirmed that Bradley Dack, Garath McCleary, and Jonny Smith all remain sidelined. At the same time, Seb Palmer-Houlden, scorer in last weekend’s defeat at MK Dons, is now a doubt after feeling discomfort in his knee.
“We’re short on numbers at the moment,” Dobson said. “We’re short on good players, really good players who would be in our first 11, and that’s a bit of a loss for us.
“We need to get through it, and we need everybody pulling in the same direction. I ask the fans on Saturday to get behind us and help us through this period.”
The club’s growing injury list has left Gillingham with limited attacking options. Striker Josh Andrews will also miss the Cheltenham match through suspension after collecting his fifth booking of the season.
Vokes Nearing Full Return
Dobson confirmed that veteran forward Sam Vokes could make his first league start for the club after impressing in Tuesday night’s EFL Trophy defeat at Colchester. The 35-year-old, who joined the Gills in the summer after recovering from a broken arm, scored in that match, his first goal for the club.
“We’ve just got to be careful with Vokes because we can’t overload him,” Dobson explained. “He’s one of the ones we’re nursing along carefully. We’re getting closer to him having more match time and getting to a position where he might be able to start.”
Despite his limited minutes, Vokes currently boasts the best ‘shots on target per 90 minutes’ ratio in the division, underlining his importance as the Gills seek to rediscover their scoring touch.
Cheltenham Revitalised Under Cotterill
Saturday’s visitors Cheltenham Town have shown signs of revival under returning boss Steve Cotterill, who guided the Robins to 3 promotions earlier in his career. Cotterill’s side ended a poor run of form last weekend with a 2-0 win over Fleetwood Town in his first match back in charge following Michael Flynn’s dismissal.
That result lifted Cheltenham off the foot of the table and into 22nd place, while Gillingham, who were beaten 2-0 by Colchester and remain winless in 3, will be desperate for a response in front of their home fans at Priestfield.
Writer’s View
Gillingham’s early-season optimism has been dented by a wave of injuries that threatens to undo their solid start. With key creative players missing and striker options thin, Saturday’s clash with Cheltenham feels pivotal in restoring momentum.
Sam Vokes’ gradual return could prove crucial in easing the attacking burden, while the home crowd’s backing may be vital as Dobson and his depleted squad look to grind out a result. Cheltenham’s resurgence under Cotterill adds another layer of difficulty, but for Gillingham, resilience and patience will be the order of the day.
