A dead rubber for Leyton Orient ended in big disappointment - as they lost away to Derby County.
The 3-0 win for the hosts kept tight hold of second place in League One, now four points ahead of Bolton Wanderers although the Trotters do have a game in hand.
The Rams knew the importance of claiming maximum points and in front of another 30,000-plus crowd, they went ahead in the 10th minute, Kane Wilson pouncing at the back post from a Nathaniel Mendez-Laing corner.
Eight minutes later it was another set-piece that made it 2-0, Louie Sibley supplying this one for Sonny Bradley to volley in from close range.
With their own promotion hopes over, Orient did become more of a threat in the second half but the best chances continued to fall to Derby, Mendez-Laing failing to convert in the 61st minute after racing clear.
Sibley also went close on two occasions before Bradley sealed a convincing victory with a back-post header from yet another corner.
Leyton Orient manager Richie Wellens admitted the season as a whole may have caught up with them.
He said: "They ran all over us. They are a good team with loads of experience and they just overpowered us.
“The players have been unbelievable this year but they are probably on their last legs and we are asking too much of them with what we’ve got available.
"We just ran out of steam a little bit.
"The big one was the set plays. We started the game okay but after the set plays in a quick space of time it becomes very difficult.
"I think it’s something we need to improve on next year. We’ve done well but I think with set plays in this division, if you can score a lot more than you concede you can get an extra 12 points."
Derby boss Paul Warne meanwhile was not counting his chickens just yet, despite the position they find themselves in.
He said: "The lads have done well, scored from three set-pieces and we probably could have scored from open play but it’s just about winning, so I’m happy.
“It’s been a good day but all it does is give us another opportunity. With two games left it’s in our hands again.
"But that’s all it is, we haven’t achieved anything, but it did feel like a good day. The lads performed well. I don’t think Joe [Wildsmith] had a shot to save."
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