Report by John Patrick Heeley

This season promised so much and eventually provided so little. Way back in the summer of 1999 the bookmakers made Wigan Athletic firm favourites to win the Second Division and nobody would've argued with that. As recent as January, just after the Millennium celebrations had died down, Wigan were undefeated in the league and looked like proving the bookies right. Then the wheels started to wobble.

A trip to the Twin Towers and the hallowed turf of Wembley Stadium was all that was left for Wigan and Gillingham after both teams had failed at the final hurdle to secure automatic promotion to the First Division - winner takes all.

Wigan were to lose manager John Benson after the game as he had already made his future intentions clear and so it was down to his lads to do him proud one more time, which they did but Lady Luck was just not shining on them on a wet and windy Sunday afternoon in the capital.

Wigan kept faith with reserve keeper Derek Stillie between the posts, leaving Roy Carroll to sit it out on the bench after recovering from an appendix operation. Stuart Barlow also found himself on the team sheet alongside Carroll, as did skipper Carl Bradshaw, Gareth Griffiths and Jeff Peron.

Manager Benson opted to play with Scott Green and Kevin Sharp playing wing-back roles to the solid line-up of McGibbon, Balmer and de Zeeuw. Redfearn and Kilford slotting in the gap between them and Liddell and Haworth up front.

Wigan set out in the first half enjoying the better of the play and as early as four minutes into the game Haworth had a shot on goal after Liddell had put him through only for his header to go straight at Vince Bartram in the Gillingham goal.

Haworth, again and Liddell both tried from distance with Haworth's effort well stopped by Bartram considering the slippery conditions. Liddell's 30 yarder, though, beat Bartram hands down but was unfortunate not to score as his shot clipped the top of the bar and flew over for a goal kick.

Gillingham had their chances but it did come as quite of a shock when they took the lead on 36 minutes. Dangerman Carl Asba darted down the right and slotted a teasing ball into the area. Asaba's partner in crime, Iffy Onuora flew himself at the oncoming cross but Wigan defender Pat McGibbon was a fraction quicker. The ball came off McGibbon, slid under a diving Stillie. Arjan de Zeeuw threw himself across the goalmouth and appeared to have cleared the ball. Referee Rob Styles needed to check with his assistant to the right who had no hesitation in awarding the goal. Television replays were to indicate that the officials made a correct decision.

Half Time: Gillingham 1 Wigan 0

Wigan came out unchanged for the second half and carried on much the way they had contested the first.

On 50 minutes Gillingham went close to double the deficit when Onuora got the better of McGibbon from a Hessenthaler cross but his shot went narrowly wide.

Moments later Haworth saw a chance go begging as he struggled to control the ball in front of goal. However seconds later he did better and levelled the score. Andy Liddell slotted the ball from the left, finding Haworth with his back to goal and numerous Gillingham defenders ready to pounce but the Welsh wizard turned, flicking the ball from his left foot to right and chipped the ball over the despairing Bartram and into the far side of the goal. Pure class!!

Just after the hour mark Wigan should have taken the lead after de Zeeuw had seen a thunderbolt of an header cleared off the line by Nicky Southall. The referee waved play on and the assistant to his right didn't budge. The fact that Southall was half a yard behind the goal line and he hadn't stooped forward should have made it obvious. Again, on inspection of television replays, although not quite as clear, the ball was over the line.

Carl Asaba should have done better after disposing of McGibbon on the edge of the Wigan box but Stillie got down well diving low to collect Asaba's strike.

With only four minutes of normal time remaining Gillingham were handed the advantage when Kevin Sharp was sent off for his second cautionable offence after a late challenge on Nicky Southall.

Wigan held on for extra time although had to rely on Stillie to save a rasping shot from substitute Paul Smith before the referee called an end to normal time.

Full Time: Gillingham 1 Wigan 1

The players didn't seem to have tired and carried on in injury time, the adrenalin obviously kicking in as the sight of First Division football grew increasingly closer.

Latics didn't let the loss of Sharp get to them and went in the lead after only 7 minutes of injury time. Liddell put a perfect ball through to Darren Sheridan in the area but his progress was halted by Barry Ashby and the referee immediately pointed to the spot. Stuart Barlow, who had only been on the pitch for the last five minutes or so of normal time, stepped up and fired in his 23rd goal of the season from the spot, giving Bartram no chance.

Wigan kept that lead into the second half of injury time and with only around five minutes left on the clock looked like they were heading to the First Division for the first time in their short league history. Gillingham, however, had other ideas and substitute Steve Butler blasted a header from a Ty Gooden cross past the helpess Stillie.

With the score at 2-2 and with seconds ticking away penalties now looked to be inevitable but agian Gillingham had other ideas and fellow substitute Andy Thomson got in front of Stuart Balmer to head over Stillie form agian a Ty Gooden cross. The Gillingham players, manager, backroom staff and in fact three-quarters of Kent went beserk. As it seemed that they were to miss out on promotion for the second successive season, beaten at Wembley, they managed to do to Wigan just as Manchester City had done to them twelve months previously.

The 10,000 travelling Wigan fans stayed on to applaud their heroes who had played their hearts out but alas it's Division Two football again next season and another trip to Millwall.