Colchester United have ended the 2017/18 season with a 1-0 defeat against Exeter City.
After a goalless first half, the U's had the chance to open the scoring but Sammie Szmodics missed from the spot after Junior Ogedi-Uzokwe was fouled.
The hosts responded well, and scored the winner when Robbie Simpson headed home at the far post after hesitancy from Frankie Kent and Dillon Barnes.
On a blisteringly hot day in Devon, the game started slowly, with neither side expending too much energy in the early minutes.
Liam McAlinden should have opened the scoring with the first real opportunity of the game, with twelve minutes on the clock.
He capitalised on a Kent slip, lobbed the ball over the advancing Barnes and only had to head the ball into the empty net.
He let the ball drop though and tried to pass it to a teammate running into the six yard box - it wasn't a good ball and the chance was gone.
Barnes made up for his part in that chance for the hosts, when he dived full length to his left to push away a Ryan Harley curler.
In the U's only effort of the half, debutant Gondoh found himself some space just outside the box, but his shot went weakly past the home post.
Three minutes before half time, the home side had the ball in the net, but Simpson's header was disallowed after he pushed Kent before the cross reached him.
At the start of the second half, Ogedi-Uzokwe replaced Mikael Mandron but it was the hosts who had the first chance.
Harley crossed from the left, and Sweeney crept in at the far post but couldn't keep his header under the bar.
Just before the hour mark, the U's had a great chance to get the opening goal when the referee pointed to the penalty spot after Ogedi-Uzokwe was fouled by Sweeney.
Szmodics stepped up, but his straight spot kick was saved by the legs of Christy Pym to keep the game goalless.
It proved to be an expensive miss, with Exeter scoring the only goal of the game through centre forward Simpson.
Seventy one minutes were on the clock when Sweeney got down the right flank and whipped in an inviting cross towards the far post.
Kent looked like he was expecting Barnes to come out and collect it, but the hesitancy between the two youngsters allowed the veteran in to head home.
McGreal sent on Tom Lapslie and Drey Wright, for Comley and Senior, with fifteen minutes remaining and the U's did have what looked like a great chance to get back in the match late on.
A right wing cross from Ryan Jackson was put into the Exeter box, Ogedi-Uzokwe and a defender missed it, and Luke Prosser failed to get any meaningful touch at the far post.
That was the final effort of the match, with the U's having to be content with a mid-table finish in a season that saw fine margins go against them on too many occasions.
Colchester United would like to thanks all its supporters, home and away, for their support throughout the campaign.