Gillingham boss Andy Hessenthaler will go into Saturday’s must win game at Oxford United missing at least two key players.

Both Jack Payne (hamstring) and Danny Jackman (groin) have been ruled out of the game at the Kassam Stadium with Matt Fish regarded as doubtful with a knee injury.

In probably The Gills biggest game of the season, the last thing Hessenthaler needed was to lose two of his most influential players.

There was also bad news on Thursday when Hessenthaler told the club’s official website how both Charlie Lee and Curtis Weston wouldn’t be fit enough for this weekend:

“Charlie and Curtis should be training in some part of next week. We have got a game against Brighton on Monday behind closed doors for some people to have a game – that might come too soon for Charlie, but he could well be involved in the Swindon game.”

Hessenthaler did receive some good news this week though, with Gavin Tomlin seemingly fit for this weekend after overcoming his hamstring injury:

“We have got Tomlin training, he trained yesterday and had no reaction – he’ll train again today and tomorrow and again, we’ll pick a team to hopefully go and get a result at Oxford.”

That could well see Tomlin elevated straight into the starting line up with The Gills knowing anything less than a win and their season could be all but over.

With it being a four horse race for the last play-off spot, Gillingham know a win at Oxford could lift them back within touching distance of a play-off place, but a defeat and they would be seven points adrift with just three games to go.

Meanwhile, Hessenthaler was less than keen to comment on the ongoing situation regarding the game against Swindon Town on Saturday April 21st.

As it stands, the game will be played behind closed doors with Medway Council placing a prohibition notice on the game, preventing fans from attending.

Gillingham and the police are yet to agree on how many officers need to attend the game with the club disputing the costs involved, however Hessenthaler insisted it wasn’t something that really concerned him or his players:

“It’s not a crucial game for me at the moment, we’re solely focused on Saturday. The players aren’t even thinking about SWindon. That will come along when it comes along.”

“Hopefully it will be resolved, like I say it’s out of my hands. It’s down to the Chairman and everybody else that’s involved. I don’t really want to make any comment on that.”

With just nine days to go until the tie, it is expected Gillingham Football Club and the police will thrash out a settlement that will see the game go ahead as usual.