Gillingham suffered relegation heartbreak as Nottingham Forest dragged them
into the League One abyss.
Eugen Bopp scored with his first touch to silence the travelling support after
they had looked set to survive thanks to an Andy Melville own goal and a late
Mamady Sidibe strike.
Wes Morgan's first goal of the season gave Forest a first-half lead but the
Gills threw caution to the wind to get something out of the game after hearing
news of Crewe taking the lead against Coventry.
Any chance of this becoming a winner-takes-all relegation decider was
scuppered last weekend when Forest self-destructed at QPR, but the hosts looked
determined to sign off their home campaign in style.
Boss Gary Megson made three changes from the 2-1 defeat at Loftus Road,
bringing in goalkeeper Colin Doyle, Matthieu Louis-Jean and James Perch for Paul
Gerrard, Gregor Robertson and Darryl Powell - whose sending-off last week helped
seal Forest's demise.
Gillingham's only change saw Andrew Crofts replace Darius Henderson, which
shored up the midfield but left Sidibe to plough a lone furrow up front.
Forest should have taken the lead in the seventh minute when Morgan nodded
down a flighted free-kick to Neil Harris who fired over from six yards.
However, Gillingham were proving a threat on the break and Michael Flynn's
20-yard effort forced a smart parry from Doyle.
But they were to be undone by the simplest of set-pieces, as Kris Commons'
free-kick drifted into the box and Morgan had enough time to stab the ball in
off the crossbar at the second attempt.
In desperation, the visitors flooded forward and almost levelled when a lack
of communication between Doyle and his defence found the goalkeeper in no man's
land, but his reflexes rescued him when the lively Crofts tried to fire the ball
goalwards.
Commons' set-pieces were proving a real danger though, and a direct effort
flew only narrowly wide.
Doyle was called into action twice again before the half was out, beating out
Paul Smith's vicious effort and holding onto Crofts' follow-up, before doing
enough to thwart James McEveley from point-blank range.
Crofts was replaced at half-time by Matthew Jarvis but Forest began the second
half more incisively, with Harris volleying well over from 12 yards.
Jonathan Douglas followed suit for the visitors before news of a Crewe
equaliser at home to Coventry seemed to prompt Stan Ternent to throw on
Henderson for Flynn.
The formation switch seemed to work and on the hour Nicky Southall found
enough space out wide to slide a dangerous ball across the Forest box, which
Melville could only slide into his own net.
Forest then saw Ross Gardner foiled at the feet of Jason Brown, but the Gills
missed a great chance to take the lead when a flowing move ended at the feet of
substitute Henderson, who fired over with the goal at his mercy.
News of Crewe taking the lead against Coventry brought the Forest fans to
life, with chants of "you're going down with the Forest" resonating around the
City Ground.
Henderson missed another glorious chance to save their bacon but, as they
flooded forward, Forest threatened to take the lead themselves and a series of
heroic blocks were necessary to rescue them with 10 minutes remaining.
It appeared to have paid off seconds later as Gillingham broke, Southall
crossed, and Sidibe struck the ball first time into the bottom corner to send
players, staff and fans into ecstasy.
But joy turned to despair as Megson introduced Bopp with only five minutes
remaining and his vicious strike flew past Brown from 25 yards.
Gareth Taylor almost put them out of their misery when his header hit the
crossbar and bounced down onto the goalline.
But Henderson could have spared them again when he broke clear, rounded Brown,
but was thwarted by a last-ditch challenge with an open goal at his mercy.
And in injury-time fellow substitute Darren Byfield saw his effort blocked to
leave the Gills fans looking numb with disbelief.
Teams
Nottm Forest Doyle, Louis-Jean, Morgan, Melville, Curtis,
Gardner, Evans, Perch (Bopp 85), Commons, Harris, Taylor.
Subs Not Used: Roche, Robertson, Beaumont, Hjelde.
Booked: Gardner.
Goals: Morgan 29, Bopp 85.
Gillingham Brown, Nosworthy, Cox, Ashby (Byfield 86),
McEveley, Southall, Smith, Crofts (Jarvis 45), Douglas,
Flynn (Henderson 55), Sidibe.
Subs Not Used: Banks, Hessenthaler.
Goals: Melville 61 og, Sidibe 77.
Att: 24,800
Ref: R Styles (Hampshire).
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