Ipswich Town loan defender Elkan Baggott learning to be more effective in both boxes at League 2 Gillingham

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.

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