STROUD -BORN goalkeeper Stuart Nelson had to hitch a lift home after stopping two penalties and scoring the winner for Gillingham in their Johnstone’s Paint Trophy clash at Colchester Utd.

But while he was talking to the media after the game, the team bus back to Kent left without the former Archway and Cirencester Academy student.

Thankfully, Kent Messenger journalists Luke Cawdell and photographer Barry Goodwin, who had been covering the game, were on hand to offer him a lift home.

Luke said: “Poor Stuart was getting plenty of banter from the lads on the bus by text message but nothing was going to spoil his night. He left us in Brentwood with a massive grin on his face.”

Nelson, voted player-of-the-year by Gills fans last season, had been a surprise inclusion in the team having spent the previous two months out injured.

He was making his 100th appearance for the club in the cup tie, which went to penalties after ending 3-3 in normal time.

“I worked so hard when I was injured and you do it for days like these,” said Nelson.

Team-mate Jermaine McGlashan tweeted: “Stuart Nelson may have missed the team bus and joined the media car to get home but what a return!”

After his heroic return from injury, he now wants his League 1 place back.

Nelson was injured on the opening day of the season at MK Dons and boss Peter Taylor must decide whether to stick with on-loan Stephen Bywater or play Nelson when Gillingham host Scunthorpe onSaturday.

Nelson, who scored the winning penalty at Colchester, told the Kent Messenger: "I can only give the best I can give. Then it is down to the manager.

"I am comfortable with my performances and comfortable with what I do on the training ground.

"I wanted to play against Notts County but the manager made the decision that he was sticking with the squad he had."

The 33-year-old added: "I am desperate to play football, especially for this club. It has been a nightmare start for me after the way the last two years had gone.

"I felt brilliant going into the season and ready for the game at MK Dons. I felt I started well but the wheels came off.

"It has been a tough couple of months and with it being a thumb injury, I have just been doing a lot of running, which is tough to get your head around every day."