Content area
Full Text
Wigan Athletic 2 Haworth 52, Barlow pen 99 Gillingham 3 McGibbon og 35, Butler 114 Thomson 118 After extra time Half-time: 0-1 Att: 53,764 THIS TIME the melodrama had a magical sting in the tale for Gillingham. Twelve months after the anguish of losing the Second Division play-off final to Manchester City on penalties after being two goals ahead when normal time had all but expired, the Kentish club came from behind to prise promotion from Wigan's grasp yesterday with two goals in the dying minutes of extra time.
The men who sealed Gillingham's elevation to the second grade of English football for the first time were both late entrants to a splendidly open contest. Steve Butler, the 38-year-old striker who is in his second spell at the Priestfield Stadium, hauled them level after Wigan, reduced to 10 men by Kevin Sharp's 85th-minute dismissal, had deservedly edged in front during the additional half- hour through another substitute, Stuart Barlow.
It was left to a Scot, Andy Thomson, to provide the final twist with a header reminiscent of Keith Houchen's FA Cup-winning effort for Coventry 13 years earlier, sparing us the lottery of spot-kicks with less than three minutes remaining. Thomson, relegated in each of the last the seasons, started with Queen of the South; after this he can safely declare himself King of the Medway Towns.
Gillingham's triumph - making them Kent's most successful club...