Salford City narrowly missed out on the play-offs after coming from behind to draw 2-2 away at Carlisle on the final day of the Sky Bet League Two season.
Swift back-to-back goals by Stephen Wearne and Matthew Dennis in the first half were enough to frustrate the Ammies, despite goals by Cole Stockton and Hakeeb Adelakun to level the score.
Inside five minutes, the Ammies had an opportunity from distance. Tyrese Fornah and Adelakun combined on the left hand-side before Fornah laid the ball for Luke Garbutt and he drilled his effort just wide of the near post.
Liam Shephard intercepted a Carlisle pass and launched the Ammies into a counterattack by playing it to Haji Mnoga charging down the right and combined with Adelakun as the latter crossed the ball in for the unmarked Stockton at the back post to shoot from close range but was denied by Gabe Breeze.
Sean Fusire charged down the right as Carlisle broke for a counterattack just after the 15-minute mark and cut the ball back for Wearne waiting in the middle as he tapped the ball past Matty Young to take the lead for the home side. Minutes later, Carlisle extended their lead to two after Jack Ellis found Dennis in the box, and he poked the ball past Young.
With 10 minutes to go in the first half, Salford managed to pull one back. Ben Woodburn whipped in a pinpoint cross for Stockton to powerfully head past Breeze to mark his fifth goal in the last five away games.
Woodburn won the ball on the halfway line from Kadeem Harris in added time of the first half and threaded the ball through for Stockton, but his shot was tipped over by Breeze.
Just before the hour mark, Callum Whelan received the ball on the left and weaved his way past the Ammies defence and he opened up his body to take the shot, but Curtis Tilt charged in with a big block.
Moments later, Salford got their equaliser in elegant fashion. Adelakun cut inside from the left and played the ball to Nmai in the box before he played it back to Adelakun who made space for himself to accurately place his shot in the bottom left corner.
The visitors almost found a winner as Fornah carried the ball into the opposition half and found Woodburn on the right before he lifted the ball in for Stockton to try to head it in again, but the shot went just over.
Nmai was fouled by Terell Thomas on the edge of the box which led to a free-kick opportunity for Woodburn. He lined up but played it short to Adelakun to shoot from range, but the ball went just wide.
In the 85th minute, the ball bobbled inside the box and into a dangerous area as Georgie Kelly went one-on-one with Young but the Salford shot stopper made himself big and denied the home side from nicking a winner.
