BOSS Sean O'Driscoll saw Cherries' League One play-off hopes bite the dust and then admitted he was "disappointed" his side had failed to extend their season.

And skipper Steve Fletcher said the players were "absolutely gutted" after they had been denied a place in the play-offs following their 2-2 draw with Hartlepool on Saturday.

O'Driscoll's troops were handed the perfect start to their make-or-break clash against the Teessiders when James Hayter headed them into a 12th-minute lead.

But although Hayter bagged a second after Jon Daly had levelled for the visitors, Anthony Sweeney's second-half goal saw Pools pip Cherries to the final play-off berth.

O'Driscoll said: "I didn't think they were in it until they got the second goal and then I think the crowd got frantic, the players got frantic and it got a bit bitty. But up until then, I thought we were far the better side.

"I thought we created opportunities to score all through the game.

"We talked about scenarios if we needed to chase it and it's difficult. You can throw on as many strikers as you want but you need to balance it out or else you just become rag-bag.

"In the end, we played our four strikers and tried to keep some balance but with a side as experienced as Hartlepool, credit to them, they didn't panic and it got more difficult as the game went on.

"I'm disappointed we're not in the play-offs. I think with a modicum of results over the last six or seven games we should be there but I suppose Hartlepool could say that and Sheffield Wednesday could say that.

"Football's a quirky game and sometimes it works for you and sometimes it doesn't. I think we can do better so that's the aim. To carry it on and do better."

O'Driscoll added: "It's gone, it's finished. Now you've got to look forward. This club wallows in the past far too much so it's gone and now we're looking forward to pre-season and next season. That's what you've got to do. You've got to march on."

Captain Fletcher said: "We are all absolutely gutted and it's the worst I've felt since we missed out at Reading four years ago.

"We really thought we had it in the bag. We started off fantastically and it was like a cup final atmosphere.

"We got off to a great start and were carving out chances left, right and centre. We were by far the better team in the first half and although they equalised, we deservedly got back in front. It was one of the best first-half displays I can remember from us.

"But the only chance of the second half fell to them. We still thought there was enough time but nothing fell our way.

"We were snatching at things and trying to rush to get a goal. Once panic sets in, you don't play the right balls and it was more in hope than anything that we were going to score."

Fletcher added: "You can put it down to our previous five homes games where we drop-ped points when we should have won. "If we had played half as good in those games as we did in the first half against Hartlepool, I think we would have made it but it doesn't happen like that.

"You can look back at ifs, buts and maybes but you've got as many points as you deserve. It feels horrible now but the wagon rolls on.

"We've missed out this season so we'll be trying our hardest to make sure we go one better next year."