Two-goal defender Leon Legge admitted he was close to heading for the Priestfield exit door.

Legge pounced twice in Gillingham’s thrilling 3-2 win over Leyton Orient at Priestfield.

He has started the last seven games for the Gills and picked up the man-of-the-match champagne on Saturday. There was a time, however, when things weren’t so good.

Legge said: “I had chats with the gaffer and there was a point where maybe I could have gone out on loan. That was purely on the fact that I wanted to play games. If it meant going to play somewhere else for a month or two then so be it.

“But there were a couple of injuries and it was my opportunity to grab that spot. I have taken it with both hands.

"When those chances come you have to take it. You have to show to the gaffer that you are ready and I think I have done that.

“That’s the first brace I have got in pro football. I am happy with the result and happy with the two goals.

“The first goal I actually thought I had headed it over. I saw it loop in and I didn’t know how to celebrate. I stood there for a few seconds before going mental.

“The second one, I was running up past Michael Doughty and he said, ‘go and get another one’, and I said, ‘no, I am not too sure if I can’ but five seconds later I got on the end of another one and I ran into the corner and I had my celebration sorted out then.”

Both goals were scored infront of the Rainham End.

“It was a great feeling,” said Legge.

“The Rainham End is a noisy end and when you score infront of them it is almost like Liverpool’s Kop End. It is quality doing it infront of them.

“The place was loud today and it was good to get that winning feeling back at Priestfield.

“Everyone was buzzing afterwards. Saturdays and Sunday are a lot nicer when you’ve won a game.”

In the end the Gills needed a third goal, scored by Cody McDonald.

Legge said: “I saw a few in the Rainham End walking out and then they stopped for the corner. We got that vital goal and the place was jumping.

“It was nice to win it but we can’t do it like that every week. Hopefully our luck has changed now and we can start getting a few more points on the board and start getting out o the situation we are in.”