Team news

Gills without Flitney and Lee Gillingham boss Andy Hessenthaler will be forced into at least two changes when his side host Southend.

Goalkeeper Ross Flitney, who has started every npower League Two game this season, has undergone knee surgery and faces a month on the sidelines.

Paulo Gazzaniga is set to deputise, with teenager Daren Hawkes recalled from his loan at Maidstone and set to provide cover on the substitutes' bench.

Matt Lawrence and Jack Evans will contest the right-back slot as Charlie Lee is ruled out with a knee problem.

Hessenthaler must also make a late call on whether Jack Payne is fit to start in midfield as he battles to shake of the ankle injury he picked up during the 4-3 defeat at Accrington last time out.

Ankle problems are definitely going to prevent Matt Fish and Simon King from participating.

Paul Sturrock has threatened to make wholesale changes to his Southend side.

The Shrimpers had their promotion push checked as they went down to a 2-0 defeat at home to Rotherham on Friday night, leaving Sturrock furious with their efforts.

"In our next game I will pick 11 boys who listen to what I say and the others will be sat on the bench or in the stands," he said.

Kane Ferdinand did not feature in the Southend matchday squad against the Millers and will be hoping for a return to boost Sturrock's attacking options, as will veteran striker Neil Harris, who featured as a second-half substitute last time out.

Mark Phillips could return to the Blues defence but faces another late fitness test on his groin injury.

Knee injury trio Ryan Leonard, Barry Corr and Harry Crawford are sidelined alongside Lee Sawyer (thigh), while striker Jack Sampson's loan from Bolton has finished.

Gillingham vs Southend

Last modified 21:57 13/02/12

Shrimpers back on top Southend returned to the top of npower League Two with a 2-1 victory over Gillingham.

Striker Liam Dickinson's early goal set the Shrimpers on their way to three invaluable points as they condemned Gillingham to a fifth straight defeat in all competitions.

The visitors, on a four-game winless run of their own, took the lead after 10 minutes minutes through Dickinson's 12th goal of the campaign before a Joe Martin own goal doubled their lead, with Gavin Tomlin's late strike reducing the deficit.

Dickinson's opener came after Kane Ferdinand flicked ex-Gill Sean Clohessy's cross into the striker's path inside the box. Four minutes later Bilel Mohsni drew a stinging save from home keeper Paulo Gazzaniga, making his first Gills start, but they did double their lead just after the half-hour mark.

The Gillingham defence was caught napping by a ball over the top and David Martin's low cross was turned in by a combination of his namesake, Joe, and the onrushing Ferdinand.