Matt Bloomfield was inconsolable as he stood in the Wembley tunnel after a cruel penalty shoot-out defeat against Southend which ended a season of highs on a crushing low.

Wanderers came agonisingly close to winning the League Two play-off final in extra-time before Joe Pigott cancelled out Joe Jacobson’s opener in the final seconds of two minutes of stoppage time.

The Blues’ longest serving player then saw his spot kick saved by Daniel Bentley in the shoot-out as the Shrimpers went onto deny Wycombe a return to League One.

“We’re devastated,” he said. “The manner in which we lost the game was obviously very disappointing with the penalties, but there has to be winners and losers and today (Saturday) we’ve been defeated.

“I think we need to be very proud of what we’ve achieved this season – getting to Wembley with the budget we have and where we came from last season.

“Our points total would have made us champions last season, let alone promoted. There has to be winners and losers at Wembley and there are a lot worse places to lose.”

Bloomfield started the game on the bench but didn’t have to wait long for his chance to grace the Wembley turf as Sam Saunders went down under a challenge straight from the kick-off.

Gareth Ainsworth said the on loan Brentford man had suffered a suspected torn calf muscle and his exit from proceedings opened the door for Bloomfield, who told the Free Press last week that he would be “fulfilling a childhood dream” by playing at the national stadium.

He said: “Sam’s on crutches, so it was horrible for him but I wanted to take my chance and I really enjoyed the game.

“It was just devastating to lose. It was extraordinary. I don’t know how serious it is but he’s on crutches.

“I’ve never seen that so early before but I just wanted to come on and play well, and I think I did that. I’m just devastated that one of the missed penalties came from myself.”

The deflation was immeasurable in the immediate aftermath of Sam Wood’s missed penalty as Southend revelled in the sheer joy which promotion via the play-offs brings.

That Wanderers came so close is a minor miracle in itself, having been 90 minutes away from dropping out of the Football League altogether last season.

Ainsworth spoke in his post-match press conference of his immense pride in his team and that he didn’t want any of them to leave Wembley down beat, but that was hard to do for Bloomfield.

“I think we need to be proud of the way we performed today,” he said.

“I think it was a really good performance from ourselves apart from the last minute when we let in that goal. The gaffer told us to be proud of ourselves, be proud of what we’ve achieved this season and pick ourselves up and go again.

“It’s the cruellest way to lose – to come to Wembley and lose on penalties. There’s not many crueller ways to lose, but we’re men, we’ve got broad shoulders and we have to try and take it on the chin and pick ourselves up.

“It’s polar opposite [to last season]. Escaping on the last day was pure euphoria and today was devastation. We’re all down but the gaffer’s told us to be proud, keep our chins up and that’s what we intend to do.”