Gillingham head coach Stephen Clemence with praise for strikers Tom Nichols and Macauley Bonne after responding positively following lack of action recently

Gillingham head coach Stephen Clemence admitted he hasn’t been Mr Popular among some of his strikers recently.

Ashley Nadesan and Oli Hawkins had started the three games prior to the weekend match at Accrington but a sickness bug forced him into making changes.

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With Nadesan absent at Accrington following a sickness bug in the camp, head coach Clemence partnered Tom Nichols and Hawkins from the start for the first time this season.

Nichols was lively throughout and Hawkins claimed an assist for the equaliser just before he was replaced by eventual match winner Macauley Bonne. Hawkins was another not feeling 100%.

Both Nichols and Bonne enjoyed their time in the limelight after getting fewer minutes than they would have liked in recent weeks.

Bonne now tops the scoring charts at the club with five goals.

“It was great for Macca,” said Clemence.

“I thought Nico was fantastic as well, they both haven’t featured as much as they would like lately. They have obviously probably had the hump with me at times, and that is fine, that happens.

“That is how you have to react, you have to come in and when you get that opportunity you have to take it. Macca went on as a sub and gets the goal, Nico started the game and especially the second half I thought he was fantastic.”