ELY City were three minutes away from securing a promotion they have worked four years for, on Saturday. City failed to kill off fourth-bottom Long Melford after Simon Warren headed them into a 63rd minute lead, and 18-year-old substitute Daniel Grindrod

ELY City were three minutes away from securing a promotion they have worked four years for, on Saturday.

City failed to kill off fourth-bottom Long Melford after Simon Warren headed them into a 63rd minute lead, and 18-year-old substitute Daniel Grindrod scored a breakaway goal to condemn them to another season in the Ridgeons First Division.

Ely manager Dennis Lightning said: "It was the worst day I have had in 22 years as a football manager.

"Whenever I've been in that sort of position in the past I've delivered. When I got home on Saturday I didn't know what to do with myself because I've never experienced that sort of feeling before."

It was a dramatic final day of the season with three teams vying for two promotion spots.

A win would have seen Ely up, but Haverhill, managed by former Robins boss Steve Taylor, will join champions Walsham-le-Willows and Swaffham in the Ridgeons Premier Division next season. Haverhill beat March Town United 3-2 and Swaffham won 1-0 against Whitton United.

Lightning said: "We had enough chances to win three matches and we were very naive at the back; we left ourselves with one on one when defending the 1-0 lead and they scored from it.

"It's a very disappointing end to what was shaping up to be a fantastic season. I brought in some young players who had never played at this level and neither myself nor the chairman thought we would have a shot at promotion. But to lose out the way we did is heartbreaking.