CHRIS O’Leary was left devastated at a chance of redemption which passed him by following Wealdstone’s exit from the Ryman League playoffs.

The midfield enforcer was more desperate than most for another chance at promotion after being sent off along with team-mate Sean Cronin in last year’s semi-final loss to Lowestoft.

However, despite a man of the match performance this time around, Stones’ longest serving player was left with the galling taste of defeat in his mouth once more following their 2-1 extra-time exit in a game they dominated almost throughout.

He said: “On a personal note last year was bad because I lost my head, but this year was worse because I know how well I played and it still didn’t happen.

“It was a chance to get some sort of redemption. I said that to Shaun before the game. I said remember last year – we don’t want to go through that again.

“I was conscious of not getting too excited or aggressive and I thought I did that, but we did not make it count - it is heart-breaking.

Defeat was that much harder for O’Leary to accept given Stones total domination of an encounter which saw lead through Richard Jolly’s header and hit the woodwork four times, while Rangers’ on-loan keeper Luke Chambers made two world class saves, before the visitors levelled on 88 minutes and went on to steal victory in extra-time.

He added: “Last year we got in the playoffs at the last minute so in a sense there was nothing to lose, but this year we were one of the favourites so it is hard.

“It hurts more because we played better and we know we should be in the final.

“I think that is the best we have played all season. I’ve not seen us dominate a team like that for so long and the chances we had.

“It was a blow not going in a goal up at half time because we battered them in that first half. They then had a 10 minute spell at the start of the second half and then we battered them again and it was a rubbish goal for us to concede - awful.”