Salford City boss Karl Robinson admitted his side “couldn’t get close” to Carlisle United in a key spell of the game that cost them their play-off hopes.
The Blues’ attacking approach in the first-half period that saw Mark Hughes’ side score twice proved costly for Salford.
The visitors fought back at Brunton Park but the 2-2 draw saw them miss out on the League Two play-offs by one point and one place.
Robinson said he felt “sick” by the Ammies’ narrow failure to finish in the top seven.
“Gutted,” he said in a post-match club interview.
“I don’t want to make excuses, but we got here 50 minutes before kick-off because of what happened on the motorway on the way here.
“Then losing Ossama Ashley [to injury] early on…
“I’ve never seen a team play that way, with that many at the top end of the pitch – you couldn’t get close to them [Carlisle] and you have to respect that.
“We changed and tactically we got things right, then you’re hoping history is going to repeat itself with that last-minute goal to make it 3-2.
“We pushed, and one thing you can certainly say is every one of us have put our heart and souls into the season.
“I don’t think any words I say now will resonate with anybody because of the pain we’re feeling. This is going to hurt me big time. I feel sick.”
Robinson’s players were dejected at full-time as Chesterfield’s victory over Accrington Stanley saw the Spireites overtake Salford on the final day.
“We’ve pushed it all the way, we’ve missed out by a point. I don’t look at today as the failing factor. I look at [other games] where we haven’t been good [enough],” added Robinson.
“You come here to a team that’s been relegated and with minutes to go they’re trying to waste time and get bookings and making substitutions to kill the game…
“But I think I’m just talking a load of rubbish now…you can see it’s clearly hurting.
“With all the things that have gone against us, to be so close at the end…it’s pointless because we’re not in the play-offs.”
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