Gillingham’s point at Northampton on Saturday wasn’t enough and it will be another season in League Two after missing out on the play-offs.

It had looked reasonably good for The Gills as they came back from a goal down to level at the Sixfields Stadium through Jo Kuffour, but Crewe’s late leveller at Torquay means Andy Hessenthaler’s side go into their last game of the season four points adrift of the top seven.

Gills boss Andy Hessenthaler kept faith with the same starting eleven that had beaten Swindon Town just seven days previously, with skipper Andy Frampton and Chris Whelpdale deemed fit enough to start.

The game started in lively fashion with Cobblers midfielder Michael Jacobs trying his luck from distance after just twenty seconds, although it went just wide.

Then came a bizarre incident when linesman Stephen Artis had to be stretchered from the field after pulling up with what looked like an ankle injury.

After a five minute delay in proceedings, Jo Kuffour almsot broke through the Northampton defence, but the experience of Clarke Carlisle denied him at the last minute.

With the game seemingly going to be all square at the break, Toni Silva’s cross from the right squirmed out of the hands of Paulo Gazzaniga and debutant Lewis Wilson was on hand to stab the ball home.

Gillingham didn’t have to wait long into the second half to level though as Charlie Lee’s long throw into the box causing confusion and in all the chaos the ball trickled over the line with Jo Kuffour claiming it, but in truth it appeared that Cobblers keeper Neal Kitson inadvertantly pushed the ball into his own net.

With news filtering through of other scores affecting The Gills, it became apparent that a winner was going to be needed and Hessenthaler threw on all subs in succession to change the game.

However, it was the news that Crewe had scored a late equaliser at Torquay that forced some more urgency with Gillingham throwing everything they had at a resolute Northampton defence, but it wasn’t meant to be and The Gills left the pitch to the news that they would spend another season in League Two, with some Cobblers fans running on the pitch at the full-time whistle to celebrate just that.

FULL TIME: NORTHAMPTON TOWN 1-1 GILLINGHAM

The Gills final fixture of the 2011/12 campaign will now be a flat affair as Morecambe come to Priestfield next Saturday.

Northampton line up: Kitson, Charles, Tozer, Akinfenwa (Langmead 83), Johnson, Jacobs, Guttridge, Wilson (Williams 69), Silva, Carlisle, Adams.

Subs not used: Webster, Robinson, Snedker.

Goal: Wilson (41).

Booked: Guttridge (45+6), Tozer (68), Carlisle (84).

Gillingham line up: Gazzaniga, Fish, Essam, Frampton, Martin, Whelpdale, Lee (Weston 79), Montrose, Jackman, Kuffour (Vine 72), Kedwell (Oli 86).

Subs not used: King, Spiller.

Goal: Kuffour (54).

Booked: Kedwell (45+6), Martin (70).

Referee: Mr Keith Stroud

Attendance: 5,382 (620 Gills).