It wasn't Crystal Palace 2013 levels of hurt for Peterborough United, but it wasn't far off, plus nine talking points from a Hillsborough horror show

It might also be worth reflecting positively on manager Darren Ferguson working wonders to get such a thin squad into those play-offs in the first place before coming so close to upsetting a team that were 19 points better off than his own at the end of the regular season.

But the circumstances surrounding a defeat that was ultimately confirmed by a penalty shoootout will, and should, hurt everyone connected with the club for a long time. It’s not Crystal Palace 2013 levels of pain, but it’s not far off.

Chances to play at Wembley for players at this level don’t come around too often. Chances for Posh supporters to have a grand day out at the national stadium don’t arrive with any great regularity either.

There’s every chance travel plans had already been made after the 4-0 drubbing of the Owls at London Road just six days previously. After all no team had come close to overturning such a deficit in 35 years of play-off football.

Those Posh fans have a right to feel aggrieved at the defensive chaos which dashed those dreams.

It’s also a shame that a couple of great performances in a row, under extreme pressure, will now be forgotten by the dramatic nature of the final game collapse.

A season of great highs and desperate lows summed up perfectly in under a week.

TALKING POINTS FROM SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY v POSH.

1) Keep it tight and taking the sting and the crowd out the game early on was an obvious tactic for Posh, but nine minutes in they were a goal down thanks to a clumsy attempted tackle from Joe Ward and the Hillsborough roar was at full volume and never really abated. It must have been inspiring for the home players and off-putting for the Posh men, especially as it became 2-0 on 25 minutes as Wednesday netted another avoidable goal.

2) And yet Posh enjoyed good moments in possession in the first-half. Jack Taylor was roaming free and set up chances for Kwame Poku and Ephron Mason-Clark. They hit the target, but Owls goalkeeper Cameron Dawson didn’t throw one in this time. Instead he stood tall.

3) It was interesting to hear Wednesday boss Darren Moore reveal after the game his side planned to target stand-in full-backs Ward and Harrison Burrows and they certainly had some joy down the flanks, but did Ferguson blunder by taking them off? Okay it almost worked as Posh were still front on aggregate as the match entered it’s 98th and final minute, but the absence of the starting full-backs co-incided with Wednesday's complete dominance of the ball for the entire second-half. Ward had delivered one delicious cross in the first-half that received no takers and burst behind a defender to deliver a shot on goal that was blocked. There was no such threat after the break and the crisp and precise passing seen in the first leg had been replaced by tense and sloppy work on the ball, even from Taylor. With no obvious wide outlet coming from deep, Posh were forced to play more intricate passes in central areas and kept giving the ball away. Josh Knight came on for the final 10 minutes as a third centre-back. Could that have happened at half-time with Ward and Burrows retained as wing-backs? If Posh had defended a last-gasp long throw better it wouldn’t even be a discussion now.

4) It’s been a good play-offs so far for long-ball teams with Luton and now Wednesday now reaching Wembley. It’s not football I’d want to watch, but it can be mightily effective and it would be boring if everyone played the same way.

5) Referee David Webb was very good for the most part. He ignored flops, he didn’t seem intimidated by the raucaus crowd, he played good advantages and he was right to play eight minutes rather than the advertised six at the end of the game as there was an injury to a home player which took 90 seconds to sort out. If Jonson Clarke-Harris had smashed the ball out his penalty area like he should have instead of scuffing a clearance, Webb would probably have blown for full-time. But Webb did make one monumental blunder not to penalise Wednesday substitute Aden Flint for pulling Ephron Mason-Clark back when he was through on goal at the start of the second-half of extra time. A foul should have been followed by a red card at a time when Posh had edged back in front. It was a tie-defining moment, but to be fair, so was the decision not to award a penalty against Ronnie Edwards for handball in the first leg. That was also a red card offence.

6) Posh deserve credit for the way they rallied after conceding a 98th minute equaliser. They were the better side in the final 30 minutes and received a slice of luck when Lee Gregory headed Dan Butler’s excellent free kick into his own net. The subsequent failure to reduce Wednesday to 10 men shouldn’t have mattered as the home side suddenly looked very leggy. But one alarming piece of defending led to an equaliser and a penalty shootout. Posh effectively had five defenders on the pitch when Jaden Brown received the ball unmarked on the edge of the Posh area. He passed it square to another unmarked teammate in Callum Paterson 12 yards from goal. The Posh defenders had for some reason retreated towards their own goal. Paterson even had two attempts to score. It was horrible defending given the state of the game.

7) Wednesday were perfect from the spot with Posh ‘keeper Will Norris not laying a glove on five penalties. Butler was the only player to miss on either side. He deserves credit for stepping up, but he took the second penalty when a more natural goalscorer in Jack Taylor didn’t take one at all which was a surprise.

8) Settling Ferguson’s future one way or the other is now the Posh priority. He should be invited to stay to try and secure his fourth League One promotion.

9) Posh came out on the wrong side of them for the second time in a row, but the play-offs remain the greatest football invention. There is so much at stake and therefore so much drama and excitement.