The recriminations threaten to be long and painful over the summer for Lowestoft Town – but Ady Gallagher believes the Trawlerboys will be stronger next season after another dose of play-off pain.

Monday's 2-1 defeat in their Ryman League Premier Division final to Concord Rangers made Conference football feel further away than ever, despite taking it to the final obstacle for three years in a row.

But joint Town boss Gallagher does not feel it would take major changes to push the Trawlerboys over the line in 12 months' time.

'We had a bit of shuffle around last year and I think we were stronger for it,' said Gallagher. 'Look, we should be proud of what we've done. We've been in the play-offs for three years on the trot. Why should we beat ourselves up? Clubs would love to be in the position we are in.

'So anyone who overreacts to this situation is quite frankly a nugget, because we are positive and we are moving in the right direction. We are getting better every year.

'I think we are a stronger squad this year than we were last year and the year before, and I have no doubt if the boys want to stick together that we will be stronger again next year.

'Our biggest problem throughout the season is that we have conceded too many points against teams in the lower part of the division. And that's something, if we are going to progress, that we need to put right in future years.'

While it was a sickening day, the club proved it is worthy of Conference football – as 2,490 packed into Crown Meadow hoping to celebrate a historic promotion, only for Concord to spoil the party four minutes from time.

'The club has so much potential and the crowd got behind us and turned out in numbers, and obviously they were all very hopeful, as I was,' said Gallagher.

'And I'll be honest with you, I never really thought we would lose that game at any stage – and it was a sickening blow for me personally and all the lads to concede as late as we did, against a team we are better than.

'The football gods aren't shining on us at the moment in games like this, either leading up to it when we've lost players to injuries, players for us who make a difference, or just the way things go on the day.

'But we will keep working at it and we will look again to bounce back. What goes around comes around and it has to come our way eventually.

'We've had a lot of success here over the years and it shouldn't be forgotten that we've finished in our highest ever position in the league in the club's history, and we are playing at the highest ever level in the club's history, and we should just keep trying to build and move on.

'I'd have taken the worst performance in the world if we'd have got a result against Concord, but that wasn't to be.'