Gillingham 3 Stoke City 0 (after extra time) Gillingham win 5-3 on agg'te Kyle Lightbourne and Stoke City are set for another season in the English Second Division after losing to Gillingham last night in the play-offs semi-finals.

The Bermudian striker's dream of a second appearance at Wembley in successive months was shattered as two of his team-mates were sent off, leaving Stoke to play most of the second half at Gillingham's Priestfield Stadium with nine men.

Clive Clarke and Graham Kavanagh were the players dismissed as the Gills won the tie 5-3 on aggregate after trailing 3-2 from Saturday's first leg at Stoke.

The visitors were reduced to 10 men in the 43rd minute when Clarke was sent off for throwing the ball away, having already been booked. It got worst for the Potters in the 52nd minute when Irishman Kavanagh also got his marching orders.

A fracas blew up in the Gillingham penalty area and Kavanagh came out of it holding his face. Referee Rob Styles consulted a linesman and sent Kavanagh off.

Three minutes later Gillingham, who were already creating the better of the chances, made their two-man advantage count when defender Barry Ashby leapt high to steer Ty Gooden's corner past goalkeeper Gavin Ward and into the bottom corner.

Ashby's goal sparked a host of chances for Gillingham with Ward producing good saves to deny Carl Asaba, Nicky Southall, Iffy Onuora and Junior Lewis.

Substitute Steve Butler somehow side-footed over from five yards as the home team failed to extend their lead. Then the lively Onuora put a free header over the crossbar in the final minute as Stoke hung on to send the match into extra time. Lightbourne, left to play as the lone Stoke striker after top scorer Peter Thorne was ruled out with a knee injury, was doing more defending than attacking as he cleared two efforts off the line in the first period of extra time. Moments later Lightbourne was replaced as Stoke brought on Paul Connor.

And despite their lack of numbers Stoke still looked dangerous on the break as Connor stabbed the ball past the Gillingham 'keeper only to see it hit the upright.

Stoke finally ran out of fuel as Gillingham scored a decisive second goal through Onuora from a header. Substitute Paul Smith made sure of a second straight play-off final appearance with the third goal two minutes from the end of the second extra time period.

Gillingham will meet Wigan in the final on May 27. Wigan booked their place at Wembley with a 1-0 home win over Millwall last night, after a 0-0 draw in the first leg. Gillingham will be hoping to erase unhappy memories of their visit to Wembley last May when they lost in the play-off final to Manchester City despite leading 2-0 with five minutes remaining.

Kyle Lightbourne: defended bravely.