Gillingham will give late fitness tests to a number of key players ahead of Saturday afternoon’s League One clash at Doncaster Rovers.

Skipper Kyle Dempsey and Dominic Samuel will be given every chance to get back into the starting line up, whilst Jordan Graham once again remains a doubt for Steve Evans’ side.

On loan Coventry City midfielder Josh Eccles will return to the squad having missed Gillingham’s last game through suspension, whilst both Jacob Mellis and Christian Maghoma could return after an illness.

After the midweek loss to Cambridge United in the Papa John’s Trophy, Evans is demanding an improved performance and knows Doncaster will prove a stern test:

“I’ve watched a rerun of their win at Northampton and it was very, very comfortable. We will be fully tested when we go there but we will have a plan. We have had a plan for the last few weeks, when we beat some good sides as well.”

“We will be playing against a team which I feel will be competing for automatic promotion. But we can see where we are in the table next to them and if we can add to our points tally.”

“I love big Darren (Moore). He’s a good manager, how he got the sack at West Brom is beyond everyone in football. He’s gone into Doncaster and he’s carried on the great work of Grant McCann. He’s put a real good side together.”

Meanwhile, The Gillingham boss is already casting one eye over potential targets for the January transfer window and believes a number of his current squad will be heading out of Priestfield.

He said: “I’ve sat with the Chairman. We know the players we want and we know the back-ups if we don’t get our first choices. We are not talking a major overhaul. Overall the boys have done brilliant to be where we are.”

“We will do our best to get our targets in. Conversations are happening with clubs and the agents to see what we can do.”

With Doncaster Rovers going into the game sitting eighth in League One on 24 points and The Gills sitting three places further back and only a point adrift, there isn’t much to separate the two teams.

A point could well be considered decent for a Gillingham side that’s seen an upturn in their league fortunes in recent weeks.