Gillingham midfielder George Lapslie is fighting fit again after admitting he was struggling after just 20 minutes last weekend.

Lapslie was handed a start against Harrogate Town as he returned from two weeks out with concussion. He only returned to full training the day before last weekend’s match and admitted it was tough going.

He said: “I ended up playing 50-60 minutes, it was a late shout to start but I felt ready.

“My first full training session was on the Friday and Friday is naturally going to be light.

“I was struggling, there were a few muscle twinges from about 20 minutes and when (Harrogate player) Josh Falkingham went down (injured) I went over to the physio to speak, but if I had gone down I would have had to go off the pitch for 30 seconds, because of the new rules, so in my mind I was just like, ‘get to half-time.’”

He made it to the break but after 15 minutes rest was ready for more.

He said: “I went back out there, but the Gaffer did the right think to get me off (after 60 minutes) and get Jayden (Clarke) on there to get fresh legs attacking them.

“I was happy with the outcome, we won so I wouldn’t have changed anything.”

Saturday’s appearance for the Gills was his first since being involved in a car crash, sitting on the passenger side as a BMW driven by team-mate Macaluey Bonne hit a wall in Woodlands Road.

Lapslie had to follow the protocols for head injuries, which meant nothing strenuous, and he admits he was in no shape to do much anyway.

He said: “The games I missed I couldn’t have affected them in any way, shape or form, the way I was feeling, I needed the rest, my head was frazzled!”

On a hot day last weekend it was tough for everyone, especially for a player whose game is all about energy.

He said: “If you take my energy out of my game I probably haven’t got much, so I need to physically be where I am at to impose myself on games.

“My main asset is my energy and willingness to run, I put myself about when I play. In the no.10 role I can find myself pressing the left-back, the centre-back or the midfield, anywhere I am trying to win the ball back, which I like to do.”

The late goal last Saturday won them the game, scored by captain Shaun Williams. It continued Lapslie’s good form in the side this season, with six wins from six.

“If you are playing and winning you are happy,” he said.

“Life is so much better, when you go home everything is good and you are chasing that every time, you want to be buzzing for the next week.”