ACCRINGTON Stanley's play-off dreams all but died at the Kingfield Stadium - and it was the agony of a late, late goal which left the Reds devastated.

It was in the third minute of injury time with four to play when Gary MacDonald jumped highest to boost Woking's play-off hopes and give Interlink manager John Coleman the nightmare of missing out on a top five place.

All the hard work of a long and eventful season was lost in that goal as the Reds slipped down to tenth in the Conference - where they finished last season - and, with two games left, it was mission impossible.

But Coleman believed the goal shouldn't have stood.

An Ian Selley corner was fired into a melee of bodies and Macdonald got his head to the ball with Kennedy unable to move.

"I have watched the video and Jon Kennedy was definitely fouled," said Coleman. "It wasn't by the goalscorer - he got up well - but by another player. Jon has got to at least four high corners before this so why would he suddenly not come for this one? It was sickening as there was no way back."

As well as the late goal, the Reds chief was disappointed referee Martin Yerby waved away strong appeals for a penalty which would have put the Reds 2-0 up.

Gary Roberts was bundled to the ground in the area on 38 minutes by right back Neil Smith who couldn't cope with the pace and trickery of the Stanley winger.

"It was a stone-wall penalty," blasted Coleman. "Gary is devastated as it should have been given. But Accrington Stanley never seem to get penalties. I know we still had to convert it but that would have put us two-nil up and given us a great chance."

Saying that, once Woking had equalised following a mistake by Kennedy, the Reds did also have a lucky let off when Cards striker Raphael Nade missed an open goal from six yards out in a game which could have gone either way.

Both sides needed to win to keep in with a good shout of the play-offs but it was a muted atmosphere by the home fans despite Kingfield hosting the biggest Conference crowd of the day - and the Reds fans donning their fancy dress outfits.

Defences were on top until David Brown sent a defence splitting pass to Paul Mullin which beat the off-side trap - although Woking boss Glenn Cockerill disagreed - and Mullin finished superbly for his 20th Conference goal of the season.

Woking rarely troubled keeper Kennedy and, despite plenty of pressure outside the area, by 35 minutes they had just two efforts on goal - both long range and off-target.

Then much to Coleman's fury, the ref waved away penalty appeals saying Smith had gone for the ball.

"Even the Woking people said it should have been a penalty," fumed the Reds chief.

Stanley striker Lee McEvilly then tested their Brazilian keeper Adriano Basso while Kennedy was assured on his crosses - until injury time in the first half.

Then a Selley speculative ball in looked to be going out but the Reds keeper decided to go for it.

He got two hands to it but dropped it right at the feet of Steve Evans who passed to Chris Sharpling who had an easy strike past Robbie Williams and Mike Flynn on the goalline.

"Jon is gutted. It was a howler but he has had a great game," said Coleman.

It was a huge blow but the manager felt he could rally his troops with a team-talk on the pitch because of the sweltering conditions in the Woking dressing rooms.

But it was the Cards who showed their hand as they came out and dominated the second half and the Woking fans suddenly came to life.

Frontmen Nade and Justin Richards, whose effectiveness had been limited in the first half, started to create clearer chances while Roberts stopped having joy on the wing with the introduction of sub Simon Jackson.

A Selley free kick was saved low by Kennedy while Nade broke through on left but Kennedy did well to push out his volley.

McEvilly wasted a good chance after making space for himself in a rare excursion into the Woking half but he blasted wide and then Nade made the miss of the day.

Sub Jeffersen Louis got the better of the defence on 64 minutes, played in a ball which caught out Kennedy and Nade, unmarked with the goal gaping, amazingly ballooned it high and wide.

The game looked destined for a draw despite Amos Foyewa fireing wide, Kennedy producing a diving save from Selley and Louis heading over.

It was backs to the wall for the last 10 minutes with corner upon corner which the Reds dealt with.

Then, in injury time, they were given a free kick on their left wing for a harsh handball which Ged Brannan cleared for the fateful corner. Woking scored, the Reds were aggrieved and Brannan's protests earned him a second booking - and his first Stanley red card to compound the manager's misery.