KEVIN Wilkin took action to halt Nuneaton Towns slide at the start of April by bringing in striker Iyseden Christie and midfielder Richard Lavery.
Lavery, 33, was back for a third spell with the club, while Christie, 34, signed on loan from Kettering Town.
Christie had pedigree, but he also had a hefty frame to drag around the pitch. Nonetheless the pair looked like good acquisitions in a 3-0 win at Gloucester.
But then old frailties emerged in a woeful 2-1 defeat at home to Gainsborough, a side at the other end of the table.
That prompted Wilkin to go back to the players he knows and trusts. It worked as Boro beat Workington 2-1 and drew 1-1 with Boston.
At that point their play-off place became assured as Eastwood, the form team in the league, were denied a place in the play-offs over ground grading issues.
Boro played their final game at champions Alfreton in the knowledge that they could field a shadow side. Though beaten 3-2, they went into the play-offs packed with belief.
Wilkin said: “We definitely aren’t there to make up the numbers.
I want to win.
“I’ve got a decent record in the play-offs. I want that to continue.
I’ll be getting them cherry ripe for the game.
“Hopefully we can do what I know we are capable of.” April results Gloucester 0, Nuneaton 3 (Marsden, Forsdick, Hall) Nuneaton 1 Gainsborough 2 (Spencer) Nuneaton 2, Workington 1 (Spencer, Oddy) Nuneaton 1, Boston (Hadland) Alfreton 3, Nuneaton 2 (Burns, Christie) End of month position: 6th (P40, W21, D9, L10. Points: 72) SO it was time for a third straight play-off campaign. The previous two ended in promotion but this was to be a different kettle of fish.
The first leg of the semi-final against Telford saw Boro lead until the 93rd minute through Kyle Storer. But then Phil Trainer stuck to give the Bucks a slight edge.
The second leg saw Telford go 2-0 up thanks to slack defending and a questionable penalty.
Danny Spencer gave the visitors hope, but it was not to be and the promotion dream was over as Telford won 3-2 on aggregate.
After the game Wilkin felt the blame for defeat rested with referee Michael Salisbury.
He said: “It was a massive decision (the penalty). There were decisions that mirrored that in the second half in different areas of the pitch that weren’t given.
“You can’t control what the referee will do, but for me it’s a bad decision that will forever be contentious.
“Somethimes as a manager you hold your hands up to bad refereeing decisions and that’s what we have to do today.” The season ended on a sour note with a 1-0 defeat to Sutton Coldfield in the Birmingham Senior Cup final.
May results Nuneaton 1, Telford 1 (Storer) Telford 2, Nuneaton 1 (Spencer) Nuneaton 0, Sutton Coldfield 1
