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Stimson: Defensive selection headache

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Gillingham boss Mark Stimson faces a defensive selection headache ahead of their home game with Southampton.

Simon King, Garry Richards (both ankle) and captain Barry Fuller (broken nose) are ruled out of the final two games of the season, while Darren Dennehy has returned to parent club Cardiff after his emergency loan deal expired.

Josh Gowling could be in line to fill in at centre-back after completing his two-game suspension but he will have to battle it out with youngster Tom Wynter for the vacant starting berth.

Jack Payne is expected to continue at right-back in the absence of Fuller after impressing in the last two games.

Top scorer Simeon Jackson could return to the starting XI after being on the bench for the Gills' last three fixtures.

Saints news

Wayne Thomas and Radhi Jaidi could return to the Southampton squad for the trip.

Thomas has been sidelined for six weeks with a calf injury and fellow defender Jaidi missed the last two games with a hamstring problem.

Full-back Graeme Murty is therefore the only player in the treatment room as he continues his recovery from ankle surgery.

Midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin serves the third game of his four-match ban for his second red card of the season at Yeovil a fortnight ago.

Teenage midfielder Callum McNish made his debut as a second-half substitute in last week's 3-2 win over Carlisle and will hope to be involved again, while striker Lee Barnard is pushing to start having been on the bench in recent weeks.