Jonny Williams enjoyed Tuesday’s EFL Trophy win after being handed a role in the team where he can thrive.

The retired Welsh international admits he’s not reached his peak with the Gills yet but a midweek display against Leyton Orient, from the league above, was a little bit more like it.

Speaking after a 2-1 win, Williams said: “I haven’t played to my best, I feel like I can play better, I want to be more involved in games and get on the ball more.

“At times, other teams have more of the ball than us so it can be frustrating, but we are joint second in the league with the potential to go top on Saturday, if we win.

“I know there is still more to come from me and I will keep giving my all, 110% every game and hopefully, I can start contributing some goals and assists.

“It was the first game (for Gills on Tuesday) where I have played centrally, I felt a lot more involved in the game. I felt I was playing to my strengths.

“The gaffer gave me the freedom to go and get the ball and make things happen, drive at players, win free-kicks, play one-twos, bring the team up the pitch. I enjoyed the game.

“I will keep giving my all and if we keep winning games I will be a happy man.

“I do feel sharp and I enjoyed it. I was able to get on the ball more, there have been games where I have been in and out of games, I feel like I haven’t been at my 100% best. I am happy to be on the winning team but I want to be on the ball making things happen and I felt like I got much more on the ball.

“I feel I am best in the middle, I feel like I can be free when I am turned and running at the midfield and defence, making things happen, playing one-twos and playing front-facing.

“I love playing in the middle of the pitch but equally I have enjoyed playing wide for teams as well, I just want to get on the ball as much as I can and make things happen.

“I remain confident in myself and my ability. As a footballer, if you aren’t confident you may as well not step out there because it is so important, you can see when a player is confident or not.”

Williams had Connor Mahoney and Jayden Clarke either side of him against Orient on Tuesday, with Macauley Bonne up top. The attacking unit grew into the game, improving in the second half and excelling when Orient had two players sent off after the hour mark.

Gillingham’s midweek win helped bring the confidence back in the whole camp after a defeat on Saturday in the league at Grimsby and a performance that was sub-standard.

Williams said: “We definitely needed a response. Leyton Orient respected to us as they put a very strong team out. When they put the team out I was looking forward to the test, a proper football match.

“Saturday was so unlike us, way behind the level we have set out to be, on and off the ball, we felt way short of where we’ve been and it was disappointing.

“It means a lot to us as players, because we all want to do well for the football club, we won our first four games and that does bring expectation, but Grimsby is a tough place to go, they are hard to play against. It was just disappointing we didn’t play anywhere near where we are capable of and this was a good response and good result.

“I just love winning, whether it’s in training or not, it was is the EFL Trophy. The manager picked a strong side and Richie Wellens (the Orient manager) picked a strong side and it was a real good football match, I enjoyed playing in it, it brings confidence, the boys involved did great and a win’s a win, any win is a bonus.

“We needed that after Saturday. A lot of the boys were down on the way home, it was a poor performance, it wasn’t us at all, we looked tired and we were beaten up, we lost the battle and that was a shame off the back of a really good start to the season.

“We have to look at the first six games, we’ve got 12 points, sitting joint second and if we win Saturday we could go top, we have to remain positive and beating a team in the league above helps in that.”