Midweek matchwinner Danny Lloyd showed just what Gillingham will be about under the new boss.

The hard-working forward earned his goal from the penalty spot on Tuesday, a strike which was enough to see off Crewe 1-0.

Gillingham had to dig in second half to combat a much improved Crewe side after the turnaround but they did it well.

Victory came just a day after the new manager Neil Harris and his assistant David Livermore had met the team.

“They have come in and been top tier,” said the 30-year-old Liverpudlian forward.

“Their delivery of information in such short space of time has been quality and I think everyone saw that with how well we defended. We didn’t have a chance to do a shape session so I can only see it developing positively from here.

“The gaffer said he has made no promises to anyone about this season and we are where we are [eight points from safety]. He hasn’t got a magic wand but what we will do is pull together and work incredibly hard for each other. It has been very good since he has come in, really enjoyable, I really enjoyed the first half and got a lot of the ball and long may it continue.

“I don’t want to jinx anything and get too carried away but a team should represent their manager’s principles and that is hard work, energy and commitment first and then quality comes after.

“Ultimately we have got to represent the fan base and that was a much more Gillingham fan base representation out on the football pitch, players come and go, but fans and staff and sponsors will remain.”

It was a first win for the Gills since mid October.

“It was superb, everyone to a man was top quality,” Lloyd said.

“It has been a long, long time, we could have been three or four up at half-time, things just didn’t drop, we could have got maybe a couple more shots off, but over the course of 90 minutes we have dug in and showed exactly what the gaffer has asked for in the pre-match meeting, we have executed it to a tee.

“They came into it more second half, they moved the ball really well and created some decent openings, but the lads defended unbelievably and we have managed to get the three points and you could see how much it meant to everyone at the end, including the fans, it had been too, too long and we have to use that now to take into a very tough game against Ipswich (on Saturday).

“I am so happy for everyone connected with the football club, especially the fans, because it has been tough for them watching us and we fully appreciate that so we were really pleased we got it over the line for them and the ones that were there made it a superb atmosphere, especially second half when we were camped in and defending, brilliant.”

Lloyd scored the penalty on 17 minutes, showing no nerves as he sent the keeper the wrong way. He’s enjoying the responsibility of being the club’s penalty taker, something he has done at most of his previous sides.

He said: “I have always fancied myself from pens and without jinxing it I have got eight or nine in on the spin now, I missed one against Morecambe for Salford, but I slipped, if I don’t slip I am confident it goes in.

“I have my steps I do in my head to prepare myself, three back and two to the side, pick a corner, whether it is whipping it in across or plant it into the side. I was absolutely buzzing it went in but I am always confident and fancy myself on pens and every club but one I have been at I have taken pens.”

The only disappointment for Lloyd was that he limped off with a deadleg but he is confident of being back for Saturday. He had only just recovered from the same injury in the same area from the weekend game against Oxford.

“It went dead straight away, I was finished,” he said. “I had no force left in the leg. Hopefully, personally and as a group, we can recover properly for Saturday where a monumental effort is needed to get a result against a top-tier Ipswich side.”