Adebayo Akinfenwa failed to last the 90 minutes for the second game running, on Boxing Day.

But it’s not an issue for Gills boss Peter Taylor after watching the striker take his tally to three goals in two games and put in another committed display.

“It is probably down to the lack of games,” said Taylor, who up until the previous week hadn’t started Akinfenwa in a league match.

“I don’t know exactly the history of Bayo but people have been telling me that sometimes after an hour he does get tired. To be fair to him, I am accepting him getting tired, because he has worked exceptionally hard.

“He has worked hard at getting hold of the ball and works hard at closing down. That to me is normal and we have another striker who can go on.”

Replacing Akinfenwa after an hour was young striker Antonio German, who has yet to score this season in 11 appearances.

“I decided to put on German because Orient were pushing to get an equaliser and I thought there would be more space going the other way,” said Taylor.

“He has lots of potential but I would like to see the potential turned into end product. He has all the tools to be a very good player, there is no doubt and every now and then we see it, but we also see the frustrating bit of him as well.”

Akinfenwa wasn’t the only player to run out of steam against Leyton Orient.

“There was a bit of tiredness,” admitted the Gills boss, who is now preparing for the visit of Walsall on Sunday.

“You run around when you play a good team, they pass the ball around and you have to work exceptionally hard. You have got to work exceptionally hard.

“I did feel that one or two players looked tired but it is another area we need to learn from but it is a hard match.

“The boys have had a lot of matches and all of a sudden you are playing against a team that keep that ball well. They are some of the negatives but there were a lot more positives and some of the football we played was good and we created a lot of chances.”