MK Dons missed out on automatic promotion by a point, despite coming from behind to beat Accrington Stanley at The Ground.
Swindon Town's point at home to Walsall was enough to secure the Robins third place in League Two though the Dons did their bit to turn things around with a fantastic comeback.
Trailing at half-time to David Brown's first half strike, the Dons replied with a Keith Andrews penalty plus headers from Sean O'Hanlon and substitute Jude Stirling.
It may not have sent the Dons up on the day, but a fourth win in a row for Martin Allen's team sends them into the playoffs in a fine run of form.
Though the Dons destiny could never have been taken entirely out of Walsall's hands, Allen did his best to lighten the load with an attacking starting XI.
Though an injury to Clive Platt, which restricted his inclusion to a place on the bench, was a blow, it meant a first start for the potentially explosive partnership of Leon Knight and 24-goal top-scorer Izale McLeod.
Flanked on either side by the pace of Lloyd Dyer and Albert Jarrett, the message was clear: a win was essential and Allen was going for it from the start.
Stanley were without Robbie Williams, Rommy Boco, Sean Doherty and Shaun Whalley, who all missed out with respective injury problems. They did however, include on-loan Liverpool goalkeeper and former Don David Martin between the sticks.
A Drissa Diallo header from Jarrett's corner and a wasted free-kick from Accrington debutant Robert Grant aside, it was a chanceless opening 10 minutes as the Dons looked for their story-book result.
Unfortunately, Brown hadn't read the script and he gave the visitors a shock lead on 14 minutes. A wonderful run from Grant down the left needed three Dons players to close it down and when the ball broke to Brown on the edge of the box, he calmly side-footed the ball past Ademole Bankole and into the bottom corner.
It wasn't the start the Dons wanted and they struggled to mount a response against a resolute Stanley defence, led by the seemingly unpassable Godwin Antwi.
Accrington striker Paul Mullin had to be temporarily withdrawn after a clash of heads in the Dons penalty area, which gave Allen's side a 10-minute numerical advantage.
They almost made it pay when Gareth Edds's free-kick came back to him down the left and his low, swinging ball was diverted onto his own post by Jay Harris.
But from being the width of a post from levelling the game, the Dons had the woodwork to thank for keeping them in it three minutes before half-time. Dean Lewington lost out to Harris in the middle of the park and the Accrington man released Mullin down the inside left channel. With just Bankole to beat, the Stanley striker clipped his shot over the Nigerian but watched in agony as it bounced off the near post.
It was nothing if not dramatic and in first-half stoppage time it continued. Knight's ball down the left released McLeod who finally beat Antwi to cross low into the box. It went all the way through to Edds and when his shot hammered against Leam Richardson on the goal-line, referee Iain Williamson was surrounded by Dons players appealing for handball.
The Dons came out flying for the second half and if news of Swindon taking the lead against Walsall filtered through to them, it didn't show as they went for the juggular.
Andrews played a delightful one-two with Dyer and forced a brilliant save from Martin and from the resulting corner, the Dons skipper saw his shot deflect just over.
An equaliser was coming and it was McLeod who proved the catalyst on 54 minutes. Collecting Edds' intelligent quick throw on the dead ball line, the Dons front man burst into the box and was cut down by Richardson.
The responsibility fell to Andrews who confidently stepped up to send Martin the wrong way from the spot.
With Swindon leading the Dons still had to go for it and the withdrawl of the efficient Dominic Blizzard for Jonny Hayes reflected that.
The on-loan Reading winger immediately caused panic in the visiting defence, running at pace, frightning the life out of defenders finally giving Antwi a problem. His first run, a blistering burst down the left, left Antwi trailing in his wake and when he stood up a cross into the box, Martin had to make a brilliant save from Edds' header.
Forward the Dons came again and when Hayes was chopped down on the left flank, they gave themselves the lead on 69 minutes. Substitute Jon-Paul McGovern whipped the ball to the far post and O'Hanlon was there with the simplest of headers past Martin.
Game on, but goals were still needed and there should have been a third two minutes later after McGovern was so cruelly denied. McLeod made inroads down the left before switching the play to the unmarked McGovern. His chip from 20 yards was delightful and as the ball bounced horribly off the inside of the post, Edds couldn't get enough purchase on the rebound to turn it home.
Martin was replaced by Ian Dunbavin with 15 minutes to go and earned a standing ovation from the Dons supporters. Returning to The Ground for the first time, the Liverpool 'keeper had proved a momentus obstacle for the Dons to pass and the reception he received was fantastic.
Allen's side were sailing close to the wind and Andrew Todd was doing his best to punish them as he dictated the Accrington attacks. Undeterred though, the Dons pushed on knowing they would need at least four to give Walsall a chance of the unthinkable.
Having won 10 previous corners in the half already, the Dons finally made one pay with seven minutes to go through Stirling.
On as a first-half substitute for Jarrett, the Dons utility man rose highest at the far post to divert Hayes' corner past Dunbavin.
News of a late equaliser for Walsall raised hopes momentarily but the final whistle at the County Ground meant the result was elemetary.
Hayes continued to torment the visitors with his pace, and another fabulous run and cross was nearly converted by Andrews only for Richardson to clear.
The playoffs it will be for Martin Allen's side but only just, and a four-game winning run makes them the form team in the chase for Wembley glory.
