Caretaker boss Steve Lovell says Gillingham’s strikers are starting to believe in themselves.

Goals from Josh Parker and Tom Eaves handed Gills victory in the FA Cup first round over non-league Leyton Orient on Saturday.

It was a third goal in two games for Parker and Eaves now has seven for the season. Along with Elliott List, the Gills frontline are starting to deliver under Lovell.

“When your forwards are starting to find the net it gives everyone else in the side a boost as well,” said Lovell.

“Josh has got a few goals. He is starting to believe in himself a little bit more and when you’re scoring goals – that’s three in the last two – it’s nice.

“Tom has really improved. When he came in at the start of the season, he is a big lad and he wasn’t using his body enough.

“We’ve got him doing that, we’ve got him in the gym and got him a little bit stronger.

“Now he is banging people off left, right and centre, and that’s what made his goal in the second half – it was a really good finish as well.

“Tom works hard in training and in games and I’m pleased for him that he got a goal again.”

As for List, Lovell believes there is more to come from a player who was only starting his 12th game in a Gills shirt.

“We’ve all got belief and faith in him, it’s just him – he needs to have a little bit more belief in himself,” added Lovell. “That’s something we are trying to get into him.

“He is a lovely lad and he is a talent, he has to start believing in himself. When he starts doing that then we’ll see a lot more out of him.

“First half he did some good things, put a good ball in for our first goal but I think he can do a lot more and that’s something we’ll be working on.”