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Joey Barton says Wanderers’ strength in depth was the difference during their 3-2 victory at Bristol Rovers.
Shola Shoretire opened the scoring but the visitors hit back through Luca Hoole’s header from close range.
Dan Nlundulu and Aaron Morley were both on target after the break to give the Whites a commanding lead, but John Marquis pulled one back five minutes from time.
Barton felt his side were on top in the second half but was left ruing a couple of lapses in concentration.
"In spells (we played well), certainly towards the end of the first half, their keeper has made a great save and tips Josh’s header onto the bar and gets up to save the rebound,” he told Bristol Live.
"In the midst of that, Josh bangs his head on the post and gets a concussion. If it goes in, we go in 2-1 up, we’re in the ascendency and the fans are at it.
“Or you go in at 1-1 and you have to make a substitution because your centre forward’s got concussion.
"We adjusted from that and I thought we were the team in the second period, certainly probing and trying to get a goal.
“Then - as has been the Achilles heel all season - one long punt up the pitch and we don’t deal with it or the second phase and their lad puts it in the back of the net.”
The result means Wanderers finish fifth in the League One table and will face Barnsley in the play-off semi-final. Meanwhile, the Gas finish in 17th place following last summer’s promotion from League Two.
"I think that has been the real difference for us this year. You look at them, their front two don’t really fire for them,” Barton continued.
“They work hard but they don’t really fire and the next change is two more seniors that they’ve brought on.
"I think Cameron Jerome and (Victor) Adeboyejo were bought in January and just having Shola Shoretire on loan from Manchester United.
“You look at the other players they haven’t had today as well - Conor Bradley, Kyle Dempsey etc - they are clearly ahead of us at this moment in time as the league table shows.
"But they were in a similar position to us. They had a slow start in League Two under Ian when he first left Barrow. They managed to close that space really quickly and get promoted.
"They then consolidated last year and they finished a bit higher than we did and they have kicked on again and got in the play-offs.”
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