Alex MacDonald's reaction after hitting Gillingham's winning goal against Sutton United at Priestfield

There were question marks over Alex MacDonald’s career ahead of this season - so no wonder Saturday’s winning goal meant so much.

MacDonald headed home in the first minute of stoppage-time at Priestfield, scoring the goal that won the game against Sutton United 1-0.

A knee injury last season could have ended the midfielder’s career in his early thirties but 11 months of rehab, and plenty of hard work off the pitch, meant he was able to cherish some more memorable moments on the field.

MacDonald said: “I think I had forgotten what it felt like to score an important goal, or just a goal in general, it was a nice moment, especially when all the lads embraced me and you could see what it meant to the fans.

“To have been off for 11 months, you dream of moments like that, getting back and scoring infront of a packed Priestfield. It happened and it was a great feeling.

“The biggest thing for me was how pleased my team-mates were when we were all in the huddle after the celebration, it meant a lot, all of those hard days, long hours in the gym and I am still continuing to do that, I had been in the gym every morning all week, for moments like that it certainly pays off.”

MacDonald made a telling impact off the bench, working hard to unsettle the Sutton defence. He helped create the winner, setting up striker Scott Kashket with a shot and when the keeper parried, he was on hand to guide the ball home.

“It felt good,” he said. “First of all for the team because of where we are at the moment, it is well documented we have not been scoring enough goals, we have been involved in games when we have been on top and not scored and not put games to bed, we have been losing, our performances have been questions and rightly so, but we