Defender Robbie Cundy is pressing for a return this weekend and manager Steve Evans will gladly welcome him back.

The 23-year-old Bristol City loanee has missed Gillingham’s last three matches and his absence was most evident on Monday as Blackpool put four goals past Evans' side.

Evans was frustrated by some of the defensive play which led to those goals.

The Gills boss said: “If ever there was a case that we missed Robbie Cundy, and we have missed him for weeks, but we missed him [against Blackpool]. He makes us stronger.

“Their front two gave my back two a really hard game, they dominated them. We were playing with a makeshift centre back in Connor Ogilvie, playing with Jack Tucker, and Jerry (Yates) gave Jack the toughest afternoon that he has had in a long time.

“Jerry has done that to most centre halves in the league and that is why, with or without Blackpool, he should be playing in the level up next year.”

Evans won’t play Cundy until he has 100% recovered from a knee injury. The manager made the call to leave him behind for the trip to Blackpool.

He said: “He needs to train for four or five sessions, it is no point us putting Robbie Cundy on the bench when he is not 100%. We miss him but we don’t miss him when he is 95%, we need him 100%. Missing him has cost us.”

Callum Slattery, the Southampton loan midfielder, is another Evans hopes to have back soon.

“We are waiting on Southampton,” Evans said. “Callum and Robbie were big players and helped transform the results we were getting. We need a little bit of luck in that department but we have had none all season, we have had big players missing at all stages of the season.”

More: Manager and player up for monthly award