Gillingham are hoping George Lapslie’s latest injury absence is only temporary after looking the part before and during the game against Morecambe.

Lapslie struggled to show his best side the week before against Harrogate, struggling for fitness after two weeks out with concussion, but he was at his best in training ahead of the Morecambe game and then scored just 10 minutes into the match, coming close to a second moments later as he remained alert to any chance in the box.

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He pulled up with a hamstring strain after winning possession to help create Gills’ second goal on 23 minutes - a major blow for the Gills.

Manager Neil Harris isn’t short of attacking options but feels Lapslie is a real goal-getter within the squad.

He said: “I really felt on Thursday and Friday (in training) that he started to look the part again, better than at any stage during the start of pre-season onwards.

“He is a hugely important player for us. George is a player you don’t overly coach, you just let him run, like a Duracell battery, he runs and runs, and he pops up in the right place.

“Macauley Bonne is the natural finisher in the group but George gives a real goalscoring threat and we saw that, he pops up in the right place at the right time, time and time again, he has done that in the last three or four years.

“It is important we get him fit and keep him fit.

“He looked extremely sharp, his movement was excellent, he handled the ball really well, him and Macauley looked a really dangerous partnership.

“George Lapslie going off was a major loss for us, showing how important he is to the team because the game changed once he went off, so hopefully we get him back sooner than later.”