It was depleted Hornets that lined up - Braddish, Platt and Campbell all missing - and Batley took full advantage with a lightning start. With only a minute on the clock (and following the first penalty of the afternoon courtesy of Mr Laughton’s somewhat freestyle interpretation of the offside laws), kicking robot Barry Eaton chipped over a static defence for Flynn to gather and score. Barry scuffed the conversion into the Pearl St End.

Three minutes later, batley were back on the attack: Darren Robinson’s kick off drifted out on the full, Maun timed his pass well and Spink slid through to score. Eaton missed the extras, but made up the difference with two further penalties - 12-nil and Hornets hadn’t carried the ball.

Once given the opportunity to play, Hornets set about the task. On 16 minutes Sam Butterworth found Mark McCully in traffic wide out, but the centre found the strength to wriggle free of tacklers to score. Hornets levelled scores for half time with a sublime try: McGovern slipped through he line and broke upfield; with the supporting Andy Gorski surrounded by defenders, McGovern chipped the full back and Gorski had time to gather and score.

With the hooter imminent, Mr Laughton tried his damnedest to send Batley in ahead - penalising Richard Varkulis in possession because a Batley player wouldn’t extract his leg from the tackle: I know; we couldn’t work it out either. Eaton obliged by hoofing the ball wide.

Hornets began the second half in style: Butterworth taking the last tackle ball down the line before slicing through defenders for a fine individual effort. Birdseye converted and added another rare penalty to take Hornets 20-12 out.

With the hour coming round, both sides were struggling to make headway: Hornets swimming against a tide of penalties; Batley out on their feet - but Maun lit the Bulldogs’ touchpaper, carving his own individual try as he skirted wide around a napping Hornets defence to score from 30 metres.

Then on 65 minutes: disaster. A Hornets scrum on their own 20 metre line; the ball shipped to Butterworth; he fumbled and Sibson sneaked through to score a gift try. Shocker.

With the penalty count mounting against Hornets, frustrations came to the surface: Bobbie Goulding questioning one decision a little too enthusiastically and getting ten minutes for his pains. Batley took advantage of the extra man and Lythe capitalised on 77 minutes.

With the game gone, Hornets summoned up one last moment of cohesive football for Sam Butterworth to jink through for his second - but it was Batley’s day and their fans were delighted that we get to do it all again next year.

On the wave of excitement that previous weeks has generated, this felt like a huge anti-climax. But wearing my realist’s head, if - six months ago - anyone had offered me safety with two games to go in return for a home defeat by Batley, I’d have taken it.

As it is, the pressure’s off for next week’s trip to Hull KR - a chance to go and enjoy the day and show our appreciation for a season that’s exceeded all of our expectations.

After the game yesterday, Bobbie and the squad came back out onto the field to take the applause of the home crowd. It was an emotional moment. With the fans singing that they’re ‘Hornets till they die’, Bobbie thanked everyone, praised his team and promised that we’ll go to Hull KR next week to kick Martin Hall’s arse.

And we’re with him all the way.

Hornets 24 Batley 32
Halifax's win at Doncaster means nothing as Hornets lose to Batley, Halifax now in the relegation play-offs.