Gillingham striker Conor Wilkinson was on song at Portsmouth last Saturday.

He scored Gills’ equaliser, a goal which he described as his best ever.

Wilkinson struck just three minutes after coming on as a half-time substitute.

Gills striker Conor Wilkinson was on song at Portsmouth Picture: Ady Kerry

He said: “The most important thing was the three points, but it was nice to show the fans what I am capable of.

“As soon as I got past the first defender I knew what I had in mind. Luckily enough I got in behind the second defender and finished it off.

“I have scored a few goals in youth team football and the reserves but that was the best goal I have scored in a first-team game.

“It got us going, it gave us a little push and once you get a goal back you are in with a chance of winning.”

It was a goal against a team where he once spent a brief spell on loan, moving there from Bolton at the end of the 2015/16 campaign.

Conor Wilkinson takes on Bury's Adam Thompson last month Picture: Ady Kerry

That loan didn’t last long. He came off the bench for 20 minutes in Pompey’s final league game, before they went into the League 2 play-offs. Wilkinson’s hopes of being involved in those ended on the bus trip to Plymouth for their semi-final clash.

“I wouldn’t sing,” claimed the 23-year-old Irishman, who was expected to perform in front of his new team-mates as his initiation.

“I had been there for a day, I felt awkward in front of the lads.

“I said to him (then-manager Paul Cook) I would have happily paid the fine or done something instead of sing. It was pretty awkward to have sang in front of 20 lads.

“I wouldn’t have minded had I been there for a few days or so, but after one day he wanted me to sing and I wasn’t very comfortable with it. I didn’t want to sing and he sent me back.

“I have nothing against the club, they have a good fan base and the fans sing their hearts out, it just obviously wasn’t the right place at the right time for me.”

Last Saturday he left Fratton Park buzzing with one goal and claiming another, getting a slight touch on Lee Martin’s effort which had put the Gills 2-1 ahead.

“It went in off my quiff,” he joked. “I am blaming the Vaseline – it wouldn’t have gone in otherwise.”

Read more from Conor Wilkinson in this week's Medway Messenger newspaper.