Oli Hawkins made a quicker-than-expected return on Saturday to fill the void at the back for Gillingham - much to the manager’s delight.

Mark Bonner praised the desire of the 32-year-old to play and help out while there was a major lack of defensive cover for the trip to Doncaster. Hawkins played with a cast to protect his broken wrist, even though many told him not to.

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Gillingham were without captain Max Ehmer (suspended) and fellow centre-half Conor Masterson (injured) while both Robbie McKenzie and Tim Dieng - two others who could have played as makeshift defenders - were injured.

Hawkins - transfer-listed at the end of last season but still with the club - was quick to put his name forward and he partnered Shad Ogie at the back.

Bonner said: “It was the best option for us, just for his physicality and his experience and things like that, and he is such a big character in the team.

“I talk about personality and you can talk about it in lots of ways. Some of it is about winning duals and being aggressive - and we lacked a bit of that at times - some of it is getting on the ball, making something happen, be that one v one, doing a bit against your man, bringing the game to life.

“Some of it is, when your wrist is hanging off and it’s broken, you are willing to do a bit for the lads.

“As soon as Robbie was unavailable this week he came straight in and said ‘I’ll play’ despite everybody’s advice that he probably shouldn’t.

“He put a cast on. He had three different ones (to try). He put himself out there and I absolutely love the guy because he gives everything for us. That is the sort of character we need. In some ways, one or two can learn a lot from him.”

Hawkins was signed by the Gills from Mansfield Town as a striker but his defensive capabilities are as strong as his attacking ones, with Bonner using him at both ends of the pitch at different times.

He had been out after fracturing his wrist in training when blocking a shot, forcing him to miss the games against Fleetwood and Chesterfield. His start on Saturday was his first under Bonner.