by Luke Cawdell

Jack Payne hopes his stunning strike against Barnet on Tuesday night will be the first of many.

Gillingham’s teenage midfielder has been working hard on his attacking game and said: "I need to bring goals into my game to push my career forward.

"I need to make those killer passes and get the ball and go forward more rather than sideways. I would like to score a few more goals.

"I don’t get many but am working on it in training and hopefully it is paying off."

The target Payne was set at the start of the season was five goals.

He said: "I have already matched last season’s record so only four more to go. Hopefully, I can do that before the end of the season."

Payne’s only previous goal was at home to Stockport in October 2010 when he slotted home from a few yards out.

Tuesday’s strike at Barnet was at least 30 yards from goal and flew into the top corner – much to the delight of more than 1,000 travelling Gillingham fans at Underhill.

"I got hit on the head so many times in the game it was all a bit of a blur and I can’t really remember what happened," added Payne.

"I just got a touch, it opened up and I thought why not?"

The goal looked to have finished Barnet off, at 2-1, but Payne had to watch from the substitutes’ bench as the home side levelled in stoppage time.

Do you think Payne needs to improve his scoring record? Have your say below.