ALWAYS the bridesmaid, never ever the bride.

Three years of falling short in the play-offs and now Hartlepool United fall short at the business end of Division Three.

Pool will never have a better chance of winning a trophy than the one which has just been passed up.

The supporters will never be more likely to enjoy a return on their traditional pre-season wager as this time.

There's never been a period as exciting and consistent as the last four years, but just like in the big play-off games with Darlington, Blackpool and Cheltenham, when it came to the crunch, Pool were found wanting.

In six play-off games, Pool only performed in one of them and still it wasn't enough as they lost out to Steve Cotterill's - remember him? - Cheltenham at Whaddon Road.

Saturday was the chance to end the barren spell and give the Victoria Park cleaners a new task to complete every day, glossing up a piece of silverware.

Instead, it took 45 minutes before they posed a threat and by the time Chris Westwood headed past drama queen Billy Turley, it was a shade too late.

Just three minutes of stoppage time was about five minutes too short.

Mike Newell admitted he cannot work out why his team only play in patches, because it's not the first time that they have started like an old man uneasily dipping his toe into the bath water.

They stood off Rushden far too much as the first half went on and allowed them to keep the pressure on.

Service to Gordon Watson and Eifion Williams was non-existent and the midfielders failed to stamp their authority until late on.

Ritchie Humphreys and Paul Smith should have been swopping flanks to try and engineer something. Humphreys is no out-and-out right winger and got little out of Paul Underwood while Smith might not be the player of last season, but has already proved if his left foot could open a tin of beans, the right one could cook them.

Watson cut a frustrated figure before his Pool days were ended by hamstring trouble, dropping deep to seek scraps and to try and instigate a chance.

But whatever the rights and wrongs of Saturday, this season has been a success and a massive one at that.

Fourteen points clear, 1-20 with the bookmakers, and "even Kevin Keegan's Newcastle couldn't throw away a lead like that" said The Northern Echo after a 0-0 draw at York.

Title or no title, the supporters let it be known on Saturday how much this season means to them, as they showed Rushden's emotionless fans a thing or two about making a noise and celebrating.

If Pool had won the League on Saturday, their fans -just like any other North-East supporters - would still be making their way home now.

Instead, Rushden's muted followers were leaving before the presentation!

Pool deserve another rousing reception as they tour the town this afternoon.

Who wouldn't have taken promotion at the start of the season?

While four teams prepare for the play-offs next weekend, Pool can look down on them with a smug smile of satisfaction.

Play-offs? Who needs them anyway.