Norwich City striker Cody McDonald was Gillingham’s match-winner again as he scored his 12th goal of the season to sink Northampton.

Manager Andy Hessenthaler promised to give his players Tuesday off as reward for their seventh win in eight games, which came courtesy of McDonald’s seventh goal in his last six games.

The on-loan Canary, who scored a hat-trick in the 5-1 win at Stockport the previous week, volleyed home the only goal after 32 minutes at Priestfield Stadium to move the Gills up to seventh in League Two.

Hessenthaler said: “McDonald could have scored another hat-trick here in the kind of form he has been in. The ‘keeper has made a lot of good saves but he looks like he is going to score in every game at the moment. He is just on fire.”