Portsmouth 3 Gillingham 1: Ronan Curtis (2) and Clark Robertson score for Pompey while Ryan Jackson nets for Gills; Manager Neil Harris sent off by referee Darren Drysdale for dissent

Gillingham manager Neil Harris was sent off after questioning the referee’s time-keeping as his side conceded a crucial second at Portsmouth.

Slow-starting Gills were behind to Ronan Curtis’ fourth minute strike before levelling through Ryan Jackson. Curtis popped up again just before the break, with additional time played by the referee to the anger of Harris, which led to his dismissal. Pompey captain Clark Robertson made it 3-1 from a corner in the second half.

Defeat at Portsmouth and a draw for Fleetwood - who scored late on at home to Wimbledon - leaves the Gills back in the bottom four ahead of the final weekend. Gillingham's home game against Rotherham United next Saturday is now must-win to stand a chance of surviving.

Gillingham were hit with a blow before the weekend after failing to overturn Charlie Kelman’s red card but they did manage to get skipper Stuart O’Keefe on the pitch despite his ongoing injury issues.

Portsmouth were already too far adrift of the play-offs to catch up in the last few games but the hosts were saying the right things pre-match about finishing the season strongly and with their American owners there to watch, there was an expectation to perform.

Portsmouth certainly had the better of the early stages, knocking the ball around after Curtis had opened the scoring. A run down the right flank from Michael Harness and a one-two ended with his low cross and a finish into the roof of the net from Curtis in the fourth minute.

Gillingham were reliant on Jackson’s throw to get them inside the Pompey box but time and again they got it clear. But as the visitors grew into the game, it was Jackson who popped up with a lovely finish to level the game with half an hour gone. He ran onto Ben Reeves’