The Marshall Dodge-sponsored city side went down 9-6 to the Cornish Sharks in the British American Football League (BAFL) play-offs as a cracking campaign ended on a low note.

Saxons won a club best eight out of 10 regular season games and boasted the most potent offence in the entire BAFL after racking up 379 points in the process.

And they got off to the best possible start when quarterback Ronnie Foster picked out Courtney Pope for a 60-yard touchdown pass inside the opening minute.

The extra point attempt sailed wide, but the lead stood until midway through the second period when a rare missed tackle from the Saxons defence allowed the Sharks to find the endzone from six yards out to haul themselves level.

And that was the way it stayed until the dying seconds when the visitors from South West brought the Saxons' season to an agonising end.

A kick sailed between the uprights with only four seconds remaining to leave the locals with no time to respond.

General manager Mark Kerr described his team's defeat as 'brutal' and believes this loss will make them all the more determined to deliver success in 2009.

He said: "It is hard to understand how we lost a game we dominated from start to finish. We couldn't have done anything more, but penalties killed us.

"It's the most brutal finish to a game I've ever been involved in - my players, the coaches and our backroom staff deserved so much more.

"I couldn't be more proud of everyone. People have questioned our character and temperament when the chips are down, but when things were conspiring against us, the players remained strong, focused and determined.

"That just makes us even more dangerous ahead of 2009."

The Saxons will take a short break before returning in October for their 'Gathering' recruitment days.