"Enjoy the day," wrote Peter Taylor, rounding off his manager's notes. "You never know." After a glorious victory that takes Gillingham to the last eight for the first time in their 107-year history they were set to enjoy the night too.

Five years ago they lost 2-1 to Sheffield Wednesday in the third round and went into receivership. By June they were four hours from extinction. But four hours is a lifetime in football's financial brinkmanship, five years a generation in a club. Enter Paul Scally, maker of photocopier millions. Instead of dwellings, stands are rising from the dereliction.

On Saturday, Gillingham did the damage with two goals in three minutes. Having strolled with the wind, Wednesday went down like cardboard cut-outs when Gillingham applied more pressure, wide with John Hodge, then with Mark Saunders as a second man up front.

Saunders got the first, Thomson's second was the sort that lone strikers lurk alone for and, just before a Nicky Southall rocket made sure, goalkeeper Vince Bartram, whose first-half fumble had let in Gerald Sibon for Wednesday's goal, made a redemptive double save of tip and block to stop an equaliser.

Gillingham: Bartram, Southall, Pennock, Ashby, Butters, Edge, Hodge (Nosworthy 81), Hessenthaler, Smith, Browning (Saunders 61), Thomson. Subs not used: Mitten, McGlinchey, Bryant. Goals: Saunders 70, Thomson 72, Southall 82.

Sheffield Wednesday: Srnicek, Nolan, Atherton, Walker, Hinchcliffe, Alexandersson, Jonk, Haslam (Cresswell 86), Quinn (Rudi 69), Sibon, De Bilde (Donnelly 62). Subs not used: Pressman, Scott. Goals: Sibon 27.

Referee: M Reed (Birmingham).