Gillingham will be playing League 2 football after suffering a final-day defeat at the hands of Rotherham United - who are promoted.
Rarmani Edmonds-Green put The Millers infront but the crossbar denied Ben Thompson from equalising at the end of the first half. The Gills had a go second half but Rotherham scored a late second.
Gillingham manager Neil Harris named an unchanged team for the big match at Priestfield. The target was safety while the visitors knew a win could see them crowned champions of League 1.
The Miller took charge of the first half and it needed some well-timed challenges from Jack Tucker, Ryan Jackson and Max Ehmer to keep them out.
Rotherham went infront from a 34th minute corner. Michael Ihiekwe had put a couple of early chances wide but when he won a header unopposed from Dan Barlaser’s corner, Edmonds-Green was on hand to get the final touch to force the ball home.
Prior to that, Gillingham’s best chances had come from set-plays, only to find Richard Wood bossing the United box. Ben Reeves did find the target with a free-kick but goalkeeper Viktor Johnsson was equal to it.
Once Rotherham took the lead they came close to adding a second soon after. Michael Smith was picked out in space but he side-footed a glorious chance wide.
Gillingham almost nicked an equaliser in first half stoppage-time, Jack Tucker met a corner and nodded it into the path of Ben Thompson but his shot bounced to safety off the underside of the crossbar.
Gillingham’s home crowd raised the noise levels with Fleetwood losing at Bolton, meaning a goal would have changed it all. At that stage a draw would have been enough.
With the Blues attacking the Rainham End, there was real belief of turning the afternoon around.
Rotherham
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