Paul Robinson kept Millwall's survival hopes alive with a 75th-minute equaliser as The Lions fought back to share the spoils in a tense basement battle with Gillingham.
With the visitors heading towards a crucial victory that would have seen them leapfrog The Lions in the table, skipper Robbo steered home Jay Simpson's cross from the right to send The Den faithful wild, with relief as much as joy.
The leveller was just reward for a Millwall side that showed dogged determination and huge character to recover from the shock of conceding a 25th-minute goal courtesy of Nicky Southall's free-kick.
The opening half of this match was the same story as so many matches this season, with Kenny Jackett's side starting brightly, carving out a hatful of chances and then going behind to a sucker-punch of a goal.
Neil Harris saw his eighth-minute glancing held by Gills keeper Derek Stillie, Bas Savage headed over and Ahmet Brkovic curled an effort narrowly wide as The Lions put Gillingham on the back-foot from the start.
Stillie did well to collect the ball at Savage's feet and the keeper then flung himself across goal to parry Harris' goal-bound effort on 24 minutes.
But just as Jackett's side looked the more likely to break the deadlock, Gillingham were awarded for a free-kick on the edge of the area following an innocuous tackle by Tony Craig.
Up stepped midfielder Southall to curl the ball round a three-man wall and past the despairing hands of Rhys Evans in the home goal.
Instead of retreating into their shell, Millwall came back and nearly grabbed an equaliser deep into first-half injury-time.
Danny Senda produced another of his powerful surging forward runs before firing a low angled shot that flew narrowly wide of the post.
Gillingham boss Mark Stimson made a bold double substitution after the break, bringing on Georges Ba and Leroy Griffiths for Dennis Oli and Adam Miller.
But it was the home side who picked up where they left off, and within five minutes of the restart should have hauled themselves level.
Quite how Brkovic contrived to head over from five yards with the goal at his mercy is anyone's guess, and no-one looked more mortified by the miss than the little midfielder himself.
Lions boss Jackett brought on Jay Simpson and Dave Martin for Ryan Smith and Brkovic respectively, and the duo's introduction had an immediate impact adding fresh impetus and urgency in the quest for a much-needed equaliser.
Andy Frampton was a whisker away from producing that much-needed goal with a deep cross-shot on 69 minutes that fell inches wide.
Marc Laird, back in the side following his three-match suspension, played a neat ball to Martin in space on the left and the jet-paced winger sped forward before driving the ball narrowly wide from a tight angle.
With the home fans in full voice, Millwall finally eased those fraying nerves 15 minutes from time with a clinical finish from Robinson after Simpson's trickery on the right created the opening.
Spurred on by some magnificant support, The Lions sensed that Gillingham were there for the taking.
Laird's delightful dinked shot dropped a foot over the bar and then Savage set up Martin, whose cross was parried by Stillie only as far as Laird three yards out. Unfortunately the midfielder knew little about it and the ball bounced off his head and over.
Three minutes of injury-time were played at full pelt as The Lions pushed forward in search of that all-important second goal.
But for all their effort and endeavour, Jackett's men could not find a way through to grab the winner they - and the fans - really did deserve.

Millwall: Evans, Senda, Craig, Fuseini, Robinson, Frampton, Laird, Smith (Simpson, 56mins), Harris, Savage, Brkovic (Martin, 62mins). Subs not used: Pidgeley, Bignot, Karacan.
Bookings: Frampton (90+1mins), Savage (90+2mins)
Scorer: Robinson (75mins)

Gillingham: Stillie, Cullip, King, Crofts, Bentley, Southall, Jackson, Oli (Ba, 46mins), Miller (Griffiths, 46mins), Richards, Fuller. Subs not used: Kiely, Simmonds, Maher.
Bookings: Richards (9mins), Bentley (19mins), Fuller (45+2mins), Ba (55mins)
Scorer: Southall (25mins)

Ref: Steve Bratt
Att: 10,006 (away 1,334)