Leiston’s promotion hopes are over, following a narrow 1-0 defeat to hosts Dulwich Hamlet in a Bostik Premier play-off semi-final tie at Tooting & Mitcham last night.

Manager Glenn Driver felt that his team were the better side on the night, but Ashley Carew’s terrific free-kick, on 71 minutes, booked The Hamlet’s place in the final, where they will take on Hendon.

“I thought we more than matched them,” insisted Driver.

“In fact, I think we deserved to go through on the night, although overall the table does not lie and they finished second we finished fifth.

- Match report

“But we are in a good place at the moment. We played Dulwich Hamlet off the pitch at times, and they are a top, top side.

“We knew it was going to be hard, and that there would be a terrific atmosphere, yet we played some good stuff, especially in the first half.

“Marcus (Garnham) made a good early save, and that seemed to settle us.”