Enfield Town suffered last-day of the season agony as they finished just one point below the final play-off position in the Ryman Premier Division while the team they were playing clinched the title.

While the 0-0 draw was good enough for ecstatic hosts Hampton and Richmond Borough to be crowned champions, it left Enfield distraught at missing out on the play-offs by the slenderest of margins.

The Towners needed to win at all costs to have any chance of overhauling Dulwich and Hamlet who took the final play-off berth at their expense.

It was tough to take for Bradley Quinton's side who gave it everything they had in the bravest of efforts, but then had to look on and watch as Hampton partied on the pitch celebrating their title success, while Enfield were left thinking what might have been.

Enfield still have the Middlesex Senior Cup Final against Northwood to look forward to on Saturday, May 7 at Uxbridge but there was no hiding the disappointment at seeing their promotion hopes come to an end after coming so close.

It was a day full of tension for the crowd of 2,376 who crammed into Beveree Stadium. The attendance was bigger than that attracted by three Football League clubs last weekend and the fans who were squeezed in witnessed a real rollercoaster.

Town gave it their all in a desperate attempt to secure the victory they needed and they were unfortunate to come up against a goalkeeper in fine form. The hosts’ glovesman Mark Smith made three splendid second half saves to deny Bobby Devyne and Nathan Livings in quick succession.

And then, as Enfield chased the goal they so desperately needed, he was at it again to frustrate them as he somehow managed to get to Mickey Parcell’s tremendous left-footed shot and keep it out.

With Town knowing nothing but a goal would do, they pushed forward and that left gaps at the back which Hampton were eager to exploit and Enfield keeper Nathan McDonald had to be on his guard to keep them out as Town looked increasingly stretched.

It was end-to-end stuff and, with ten minutes left, substitute Tyler Campbell looked like he might emerge as Enfield’s hero but his left-foot shot went just wide of the post.

The hosts were deliberately running down the clock now and, although three potentially precious minutes were added on, Enfield could not force the winner leaving their players and supporters distraught at the final whistle.

The result stretched Enfield’s unbeaten league run to nine matches but that was little consolation afterwards as Dulwich pipped them to the all-important fifth position.