City striker Cody McDonald’s 26th goal of the season was not enough to secure Gillingham a League Two play-off place as they were beaten 3-1 away to champions Chesterfield in their final match.
With results elsewhere going in their favour, a point for the Gills would have seen them qualify for the play-offs and when the on-loan McDonald equalised midway through the second half, they had their chance.
But goals from Jack Lester and Dean Smalley in the space of six minutes gave Chesterfield victory and denied Gillingham seventh place on goal difference, Torquay clinching the final play-off spot.
Manager Andy Hessenthaler said: “At the end of the day there weren’t any recriminations or fingers pointed. We have to look at ourselves over 46 games. It’s about 46 games and we shouldn’t have put ourselves in the position we were in.”
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