RMI had nothing but pride to play for but, with no pressure on them, they took a shock lead early on when Tristram Whitman was brought down in the box, with David McNiven scoring the resulting penalty, taking his goalscoring total to twenty-seven goals in a prolific season for the former Hamilton Academicals, Leeds United and York City striker.

David McNiven - penalty gave RMI shock early lead

However, the visitors were back in the game after fifteen minutes when Ismail Yakubu headed Joe Gamble's free kick past RMI's Australian goalkeeper Ian Martin.

Former Stevenage striker Giuliano Grazioli had a chance to extend the hosts' lead after half an hour but his overhead kick flew over the crossbar, with Ben Strevens' shot being tipped round the post shortly after Carl Rezai had headed over for RMI.

Grazioli finally did beat Martin after nearly an hour when he was left with a simple finish from Liam Hatch's pass.

RMI were dealt a blow eight minutes later when Liam Coyne was judged to have deliberately handled the ball, and was shown the red card as a result, though the consequent penalty from Ian Hendon was parried away by Martin.

RMI didn't really have much chance of a comeback after that and their attempts petered out, much like RMI's season, which started so promisingly with the opening day victory over Dagenham & Redbridge.

So RMI bid farewell to the Conference, pending Margate's ground application, but a defiant Phil Starbuck vowed that his troops will be back!

It's been a great ride, but relegation makes you wonder what the club could've achieved with a bit more support and had the club been able to keep hold of the likes of Steve Jones and Michael Twiss, who have gone on to greater things since leaving the club, and of course what might've happened if Steve Waywell hadn't left the club, resulting in the disastrous appointment of Mark Patterson as manager, who's spell in charge virtually condemned RMI.

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