IT is often said that play-off finals are the best way to win promotion, but the worst way to lose it.

Unfortunately, Warrington Town have finished the season on the wrong end of that particular thought process.

The fans packed into Cantilever Park with the hope of celebrating a historic day for football in this town. Instead, they were forced to watch as King’s Lynn Town enjoyed a party on their pitch.

The way in which they lost the game – they were just five minutes from winning it in normal time – will be particularly tough to swallow.

In any other season, they would have been promoted by now after winning their divisional play-off, but the fact they will be the only team to lose out to the ‘super play-off’ twists the knife.

> Carden 'sick' after play-off defeat

We have seen so many times that the Yellows dressing room is one packed with spirit and resolve, but this will take some bouncing back from.

Vultures may now circle – players like Ben Garrity are sure to be in demand – but that is a worry for another day.

Rather than reflecting on the gut-wrenching note upon which the season ended, let us focus on what a wonderful campaign it has been for the club.

If you look at the budgets of some of their Evo-Stik Premier Division rivals, Town had little or no right to be anywhere near the play-offs let alone be in with a chance of the title until the penultimate game.

Yes, this is going to hurt for a while but when players, coaches, staff and fans sit back and reflect upon the 2018/19 campaign, they can do so with so much pride.

> The agony of a play-off defeat in pictures

Moments to forget have been few and far between, but there have been so many points during the past 10 months or so that will never be forgotten.

This team have taken their fans on an unbelievable journey – and they have picked up plenty of new admirers along the way.

Having been in the shadows for a while, it finally feels as if the town is falling back in love with its football team.

Almost 2,000 Warringtonians packed into Cantilever Park to watch Saturday’s game – imagine if even half of them came back every week.

As they seek to rebound from this crushing blow, they will need the support of their followers more than ever.

> A gut-wrenching end to a wonderful season

On a personal note, my journey writing about this team has turned me into a fan.

I – like so many others – felt sombre and downbeat on Saturday night, not wanting to do anything or talk to anybody.

I have grown to care so much for this club and the people involved in it. Writing about them is – and will continue to be – the greatest honour, whatever division they are in.

Let’s not cry because it’s over – let’s smile because it happened.

> Re-live the match as it happened