Mansfield 2 Gillingham 1: League 2 match reaction from Gills’ head coach Stephen Clemence as play-off hopes are finally ended

Gillingham head coach Stephen Clemence admitted his side ran out of steam as they surrendered the advantage at Mansfield.

The Gills led 1-0 through Tim Dieng’s goal after an excellent opening half against the promoted side but two goals late in the second half, conceded inside the space of four minutes, consigned them to defeat.

Report: Mansfield 2 Gillingham 1

Clemence’s men needed to win the game and rely on other results to go their way to maintain their chance of claiming a play-off place.

In a battle for seventh spot, Crawley were held to a draw by relegation scrappers Sutton, Walsall scored twice early on but were beaten at home by Bradford and Barrow lost to Doncaster. Had the Gills held on for the win, it would have been game-on next weekend on the final day of the season.

Instead, the Gills must start building for another season in League 2.

Clemence said: “I could hear some of the songs that were sung (by the Mansfield supporters) like ‘we’re going up and you’re staying down’ and I didn’t like that, I get it, it’s footballer supporters and they’re having a bit of banter, but I don’t like it, that’s got to be us in the future.

“We played well first half, we had penetration, but unfortunately we ran out of steam and I think had we not run out of steam it could have been a different day.

“I had had to make changes (in the second half). Jonny Williams had a couple of kicks in the first half and he had to come off. Dom Jefferies and Josh Andrews aren’t going to last a game at the moment because they have been out (injured) for a significant period of time. Losing them was a bit of a blow and it changed things.

“There were lessons for some of our younger players, which we can take if we want to be successful at