Giant defender Elkan Baggott is on a learning curve with Gillingham and his weekend goal showed he’s been listening.

Baggott powered in a header to level the score against Stevenage, guiding home a super delivery from set-piece specialist Will Wright, in a game that ended 1-1. It was the Indonesian international’s first goal in English football.

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Manager Neil Harris admits the Ipswich Town loanee still has plenty to learn - the 19-year-old is getting a taste of his first full season in competitive league football - but was pleased to see that header go in.

Harris said: “Where Elkan is learning, I think his percentage of headers is as high as any player in the division, he is right up there, he is learning the power side of it, the timing, he doesn’t necessarily head the ball 40 yards like Max (Ehmer) will, but he gets a lot of first contacts.

“A lot of times the ball goes in the box and he doesn’t always start in the right position to lose a marker, doesn’t always get on the blind side of somebody, doesn’t always give himself the best opportunity to lose someone.

“I have said to him before, I could mark him, that is just a young inexperienced player finding his way, he has worked hard in both boxes defensive heading and attacking wise, I think we saw with Elkan he will be slightly disappointed with the manner of the goal we conceded [beaten in the air by Danny Rose] but he responded in a brilliant fashion.”

Baggott came into the side for another loanee, Plymouth’s Ryan Law, as Harris went for a bigger presence at the back, shuffling his defence around to combat Stevenage’s power.

“Ryan Law has done nothing wrong,” Harris said. “We just wanted more size, bringing Elkan in was important and he played really well against John Akinde on Tuesday night (in the EFL Trophy). I went with Cheye Alexander’s experience at left-back rather than young Ryan.

“Those are not nice conversations to have but as manager of the football club that is my prerogative to make changes but it also falls on me to get them right, I like to think we did.

“I have to pick accordingly to what suits us, whether players are fit, whether they have been up all night with the kids, or been to A&E. A lot goes on behind the scenes, it is not easy being a football manager at times to pick the right players, I like to think I got it right last week by starting Mika (against his old team Crewe) where he scored and then Elkan scores as well. If that is me getting it right then you hope it continues.”

Wright’s delivery from set-pieces has been a big plus for the Gills in recent weeks. With Ben Reeves sidelined through injury, he’s taken over much of the dead-ball responsibility alongside Shaun Williams.

Harris feels he has the stature in the squad to be making more of those balls into the box.

He said: “It was a great ball in (from Wright) and with Elkan at 6ft 5inch, Will at 6’3 when he is in the box, Mika 6’3, Max 6’3, Robbie McKenzie attacks the ball well, Shaun Williams arrives really well onto the ball, Lewis Walker we saw score from a set-play (last week against Colchester), we should be more threatening.

“I know we have scored goals from set-plays but we should be better on crosses into the box as well. What I will say is that is five games in a row we have scored, six unbeaten, we are moving in the right direction.”

Gillingham boss Harris was hoping to give his side a behind closed doors run-out today (Tuesday), with midfielder Olly Lee among those in need of minutes. Stuart O’Keefe and Reeves are also closing in on a return to action.