Gillingham goalkeeper Ross Flitney will spend the next month on the sidelines after undergoing surgery on a knee injury.

The 27 year old former Dover shot stopper has been struggling with the injury for the past few weeks and will now go under the knife to clear up the problem, keeping him sidelined for the next month.

Flitney has struggled for form in recent weeks anyway, shipping eight goals in the past two matches and was expected to replaced between the sticks by Argentinian Paulo Gazzaniga.

That will now happen with Gazzaniga set to make his full first team league debut at home to Southend United at Priestfield on Monday night.

The televised game will also see twenty year old Daren Hawkes recalled from his loan spell at Maidstone United and he will take his place amongst the substitutes.