Devon Homes Wanganui Athletic were left to rue their late season slump as the chance to finish second in the Lotto Federation League was still there but never seized in a disappointing 5-1 loss to the Gisborne Thistle on Saturday.
Meeting halfway in Napier, Athletic were better money than a four goal loss, but the statistics were telling for the amount of chances they had on goal, yet only Quinn Mailman was once able to reach the airspace that exists between the goal posts and the net.
Coach Jason King had to take himself off to the team van for a private moment of reflection when he learned New Plymouth Rangers had dropped their final game 3-1 at home to a resurgent Massey Men's 1sts, who also upset Athletic last week.
That meant his team could have got the silver they coveted with either one win or even a draw over their lower ranked opponents in the last fortnight.
"It was a tough game, we should have been miles ahead, even in the first ten minutes or so," King said.