Cheltenham's Michael Hector breaches the Gillingham defence to score the winner on Saturday Picture: Barry Goodwin

by Luke Cawdell

Gillingham’s title celebrations were put on hold after suffering only their second away defeat of the season on Saturday.

The Gills knew a win would clinch the League 2 championship but promotion-chasing Cheltenham won the game with a second-half header from Michael Hector.

It was Gillingham’s first away defeat in the league since losing at Torquay on October 23.

With Port Vale drawing against Rochdale the Gills are now six points clear with two games remaining. A point against AFC Wimbledon on Saturday, however, will secure the title.

Gills boss Martin Allen – back at his former club – made three changes to his starting XI. Charlie Lee, Andy Frampton and Deon Burton came into the side, while Adam Birchall, Steven Gregory and Bradley Dack returned to the bench.

Allen admitted himself pre-match that he had made mistakes at Cheltenham. He was unable to save them from the drop in League 1 and left midway through the next season with the team the bottom end of League 2.

There were chances aplenty in the opening 45 minutes, with Cheltenham just edging the half, although Gills keeper Stuart Nelson wasn’t strenuously tested.

Kaid Mohamed put two efforts wide and defender Adam Barrett made a couple of timely challenges, with a header late in the half denying Hector after his glancing effort from a corner looked set to creep in.

The Gills were backed by 1,449 fans inside Cheltenham’s Whaddon Road and although they had less chances, theirs were arguably closer.

Chris Whelpdale’s shot cannoned off keeper Scott Brown and the Cheltenham No.1 was also on hand to tip Danny Kedwell’s acrobatic shot over the bar.

Joe Martin limped off just before the break, having failed to shake off a knock picked up from an earlier challenge as he slid in to deny Jermaine McGlashan. Frampton took over left-back duties, with Gregory coming on in midfield.

Early in the second half Marlon Pack headed over for the hosts, and with almost an hour gone the same player saw his free-kick pushed over the bar by Nelson.

Gillingham’s defence was coming under some serious pressure from Cheltenham and Mohamed saw another effort defected wide, leading to a corner. Billy Jones’ 67th-minute set-piece was met by Hector and he guided a header past Nelson.

Allen made a change with 15 minutes remaining, with Birchall coming on along with Dack, to give the Gills a bigger threat going forward.

Nelson had to make a fantastic save to deny Russell Penn, after Cheltenham broke in the dying minutes, and then, at the other end, Whelpdale’s low shot went narrowly wide. Gillingham’s go-for-broke mentality, in the final stages, ensured an exciting end to the game.

Gillingham: Nelson, Fish, Martin (Gregory 45mins), Barrett, Legge, Frampton, Whelpdale, Allen (Dack 67mins), Lee (Birchall 67mins), Kedwell, Burton. Subs: Forecast, East, Davies, Muggleton.

Cheltenham: Brown, Jones, Elliot, Pack, McGlashan, Penn, Jombati, Mohamed, Taylor, Hector, Harrison. Subs: Roberts, Lowe, Carter, Deering, Duffy, Harrad, Deaman.

Attendance: 4,939.