Coca-Cola League One
Saturday April 7 2007
Rotherham United 3 Gillingham 2
Gillingham have been left reeling from defeat at Rotherham as their League One survival mission continues.
The Gills locked horns with a Rotherham side currently in the relegation zone, knowing that a victory would more or less seal their safety and it was looking good in the first half as the on loan Felix Bastians and Andrew Crofts put the Kent side in the driving seat after Delroy Facey had earlier broken the deadlock.
It all turned sour in the final 15 minutes though, Gillingham's day ruined with goals from Chris O'Grady and substitute Marc Newsham handing the Millers all three points.
New Rotherham boss Mark Robins, taking charge for the first time since landing the job permanently, was well aware that his side was nine points off safety going in to the game and that they therefore had plenty of work to do.
His side got off to an ideal start against the Gills though, taking the lead on seven minutes, Facey heading home his 11th of the season from close range after getting on the end of Martin Woods' inviting cross from the left wing.
Facey was in the thick of the action again five minutes later, this time providing a cross from which Ian Henderson glanced a header wide.
Gillingham came fighting back through Daniel Spiller, playing in a forward role, who went charging towards goal, only to be hauled down by Che Wilson just outside the penalty area. Bastians stepping up to take the free kick, although his execution was never going to trouble Neil Cutler in the Rotherham goal.
Bastians execution, however, was spot on in the 22nd minute, scoring a sensational solo effort, cutting in from the left before unleashing an unstoppable shot into the top corner, to put Gillingham back on level terms. Not bad considering it came from his so called weaker right foot!
Just two minutes later and the Gills took the lead to turn the game completely on its head, that man Bastians turning provider, his in-swinging right wing corner met by a towering header from Crofts, who celebrated his second goal in as many games.
Gillingham were comfortably able to contain the Millers for the remainder of the half, but they were asked a few more questions after the break, particularly in the 52nd minute, Woods letting fly with a free kick from 20 yards, Kelvin Jack, playing his first game since early December after replacing the injured Romain Larrieu in the starting line up, doing well to tip the ball over the bar.
Guylain Ndumbu-Nsungu, who had replaced Gary Mulligan in the 28th minute, then had a shot parried after a surging run, Spiller bundling home the rebound, only for his effort to be ruled out for offside.
Gillingham switched to defensive mode 60 seconds later, Jack on his toes to parry Woods shot from 12 yards, but the Trinidad & Tobago international keeper was unable to prevent Rotherham from drawing level in the 75th minute. O'Grady getting on the end of Neil Cutler's long goal kick to flick the ball past Jack with the outside of his right foot from six yards, the ball bobbling into the corner to set up a grandstand finish.
It didn't finish the way the Gills would have wanted though, Woods crossing from the left for Newsham to apply the finishing touch at the near post four minutes from time, leaving Gillingham still requiring points to ensure survival with five games of the season remaining.
Rotherham United: Cutler, Worrell, Sharps, Wilson (Newsham 59), Fleming, O'Grady, Keane (Brogan 64), Jarvis, Woods, Facey, Henderson (Cochrane 89).
Subs not used - Montgomery, Cochrane, Mills.
Gillingham: Jack, Southall, Chorley, Cox, Jackman, Bentley, Crofts, Flynn (Pugh 87), Bastians (Easton 67), Spiller, Mulligan (Ndumbu-Nsungu 28).
Subs not used - Johnson, Tonge.
Bookings: Sharps (Rotherham United)
Attendance: 3,223
Referee: Mr S Bratt
