Trae Coyle hopes his chances of a starting place at Gillingham have been improved after starring against his parent team.

Coyle’s lively showing against Arsenal under-21s in the EFL Trophy was capped with the equalising goal and he’ll now be hoping to have moved up the pecking order when Gillingham manager Steve Evans comes to pick his team to face Charlton next weekend.

None of the loan players have a guaranteed spot in the team, regardless of their home club’s stature, and Coyle has had to fight hard to get involved. He’s made just three league starts so far.

But if he can perform as he did on Tuesday, then those starts will become more regular.

Coyle said: “It was a chance for me to impress the gaffer and Rayns (the Gillingham assistant manager) and to show why I feel I should be playing games, that is all you can do. A lot of players played well.

“I am my harshest critic and I would never say I have been amazing, I always want to do better, but I am happy with the way it has gone. I just want to keep getting goals, creating assists and working hard and I am sure this experience will do me good.

“My aim is when I get onto the pitch to do all I can and get into the gaffer’s head to give me more opportunities but the team is doing well. Whenever I get the chance I will help out if I can.

“I wanted to put in a good account for myself and whoever was watching could see. I just want games and minutes and to impress the gaffer here (at Gillingham), that is my main concern now.”

It was a unique challenge for Coyle, up against the club he has been with for over a decade, since the age of eight. He was facing some of his mates at Priestfield, like visiting forward Flo Balogun, who he had known from an early age.

Despite the familiarity, there were some spicy challenges and good play from both sets of players during an enjoyable cup match.

“I enjoyed it, it was a good evening,” he said.

“At points they dominated the game, they are obviously good on the ball, but I thought we were in the game for the entirety and we played well.

“We both had chances and the draw was fair. It was good to see some of my friends and some familiar faces.”

And after being on the receiving end of some kicks, he added: “Some of them said sorry after, some of them didn’t! But it’s all good.”

Coyle’s 55th minute equaliser was all about the movement and the pass. The Arsenal youngster ran onto a fine ball in from Alex MacDonald and he was full of thanks to his Gills team-mate.

“It was all Macca,” he said. “It was a great pass from him, he does that in training, he said it was an early Christmas present for me.

“It was good to score but it was all him. With that pass I couldn’t miss. It was a good evening and a good goal.”

The loan at Gillingham is the first time Coyle has been away from Arsenal and he’s enjoying the experience.

“It has been different,” he said. “A lot of stuff we do that Arsenal don’t, but we are getting a good experience and that can do you no harm, it has been very good so far.

“Playing against men week in, week out is very different to playing against kids, and playing for three points. That is much more important than the performance. I am learning a lot and enjoying it.”

Read more on the Gills;

‘I am delighted for Trae’

Macca bounces back for Gills

Reaction: An excellent performance

Report: Gills fight back to draw