WE'VE been here before. This time last year, we sat ahead of our final home game of the season knowing that a win would mean that we stayed up without any last day stress.

However, with a massive crowd and expectations high, we fluffed our lines and were thumped 5-2 by Coventry, leaving us needing to get a point at Stoke on the last day.

It's not quite that clear this year, but if we do beat Cardiff and Crewe or Brighton lose on Saturday, we'll be mathematically assured of avoiding the drop.

Even if they don't both lose there are still a few permutations that can secure safety, but the only thing that really matters is a Gills win.

It's a massive game for the club and tickets are selling fast. On Tuesday there were only a handful left, so by the time you read this we may well have secured a sell-out crowd for the match.

What is certain is that it won't be an easy game.

Like us, Cardiff are fighting for their lives at the bottom of the table and in every game at this level between the clubs (all three of them!) the Bluebirds have come out on top.

The players have to keep hold of the belief that has been brimming in the squad so far in 2005 and hopefully sign off form Priestfield for the season with a big performance and a crucial win.

Of course, the nine-match unbeaten run came to an end at Derby on Saturday, but for large parts of the game it was difficult to tell which of the sides were the play-off contenders and which were the strugglers.

Until the second goal we were more than in the game, but, yet again, our inability to hit the back of the net cost us.

Both Darius Henderson and Darren Byfield were guilty of missing clear-cut first half chances and Jonathan Douglas got the ball stuck under his feet with the goal at his mercy as we launched an early second half bombardment on the Rams goal.

But we mustn't let the defeat get us down as we have to bounce straight back on Saturday if we want to be playing in the Championship again next season.

Come on you Gills!

* If you're not going to Priestfield on Saturday, you can keep up to date with all the action on kmfm Sportswatch from 2pm.

Hear regular live updates from the ground with kmfm sports editor Simon Watts.

Frequencies:

Related article

Don't miss a minute of the action