Midweek goalscoring hero Tom Eaves can’t wait to return to Priestfield on Saturday.

Six of his eight goals have come at home and that has helped see his popularity soar.

He’ll be eager to get those fans chanting his name again, as they were on Tuesday, after heading home a 90th-minute equaliser against Blackpool.

“I love playing at home,” said the 6ft 5in striker.

“When the fans there get behind you it’s great. It gives me a lot of confidence on the field when I see the fantastic support and I can hear them behind me. It does make a difference.”

Eaves’ goal maintained the Gills’ good run of form, making it six games unbeaten now in all competitions.

He said: “I’m delighted. I did feel I was going to get one at some stage but the ball didn’t really fall for me. It fell to others a few times but I just had to keep plugging away and I got my goal in the end.”

Eaves now has eight goals in 18 appearances, on target to reach his 20-goal target he set himself in the summer.

He said: “I am on course. I stand by (my prediction), I think I will get 20. Break it in half, 10 before Christmas and hopefully more. I certainly won’t be stopping at 10 and putting my feet up!”

Reflecting on their latest performance, he said: “It was a battle. We had momentum as the game went on. They had a few good spells but thankfully we got an equaliser in the 90th minute.

“I didn’t know much about it, I just threw myself at it, it was a great ball into the
box. There was another great ball a few minutes later but the keeper made a good save.”