One of those miserable, tear-your-hair-out-with-frustration days when everything conspired against Halifax to turn a game that was so winnable, from the very first minute to the very last, into a season-ending loss.
On an afternoon which more than made up in drama what it may have lacked in absolute quality, the number one conspirators were, not for the first time over the last nine months, Fax themselves.
Matt Calland's side have been playing the footballing equivalent of Russian roulette all season, gambling everything on playing fantastic, thrilling rugby league and pretty much damning all the risks that come with it.
Sometimes it works, as it did against Widnes 10 days ago, sometimes it doesn't.
And yesterday Fax gambled and lost when it mattered most, as Whitehaven kicked two drop goals, from the boots of veteran stand off Tane Manihera and prop Marc Jackson, inside the last 11 minutes to break a 22-22 stalemate and send them tumbling out of the National League One play offs.
It was obvious from the start that Fax didn't have the energy or intensity that characterised their victory over Widnes 10 days ago.
The forwards weren't running as hard, the defence wasn't as cruel, the passing wasn't as slick.
And then there were the gifts.
Ben Black's awful pass that set up teenager Gregg McNally for the first of an eventual hat trick and Lee Patterson's poor carry that allowed Ade Adebisi to steal the ball and score a try.
For all their shortcomings though, Fax would still have won this game.
Not could have, but would have.
Except, that is, for conspirators two and three.
Whitehaven brought a defensive steel to the Shay yesterday that took dogged determination to a new extreme.
On the numerous occasions they were ripped open, they managed to scramble back, fuelled by raw enthusiasm and passion.
The best example was the last.
There were just a couple of minutes remaining, with Haven leading 23-22 courtesy of Manihera's 69th-minute one pointer, when Paul Smith and Richard Varkulis fielded Graham Holroyd's towering cross kick and smuggled the ball inside to Mark Gleeson.
Gleeson, Fax's best player all afternoon, looked a nailed-on scorer as he darted to the line.
But while he made it over the whitewash, Haven somehow managed to turn the former Warrington hooker on his back.
Miracle? Almost.
And then there was the referee: Mirfield's finest, Richard Silverwood.
The facts are these: Fax had the ball down over the try line three times yesterday, only for the scores to be chalked off, two - from Ben Black and Lee Patterson - for forward passes and a third, seven minutes from the end from Miles Greenwood, for obstruction.
At least two of the decisions looked questionable at first glance, with Calland's furious post match reaction - the coach having viewed the incidents on video - suggesting Fax may have reason to feel aggrieved.
The irony was that they had started so well, James Haley making a surging break down the right to create the position for Holroyd to send Greenwood slicing under the posts.
Holroyd converted for 6-0, an advantage that should have grown by two points when Haven were penalised soon after.
Fax ran the ball though, apparently in defiance of their coach, only for Black's pass to end up on the toes of McNally, who sprinted away down field to score in the corner.
Manihera missed the conversion and a subsequent penalty and Fax stretched their lead to 10-4 when Mark Flanagan kicked the ball into the in goal and pounced on Adebisi's fumble to touchdown, Holroyd hitting the post with the conversion.
Fax thought they were in again within a minute, Black scoring after scintillating approach play from Sean Penkywicz and Greenwood, only for one of Mr Silverwood's touch judges to drag play back 70 metres for an alleged forward pass.
What might have been 16-4 then became 10-10, McNally swooping on a Leroy Joe offload to go under the posts and Manihera levelling matters with the boot.
Fax's nerves were eased right at the start of the second period, Dana Wilson touching down Black's grubber kick and Holroyd making it 16-10.
But another bad pass put Haven straight back on the front foot and although the danger looked to have passed as Patterson cleared his lines, Adebisi's determination saw him rip the ball free and canter home from close range, Manihera converting.
Worse followed on 51 minutes, McNally - who was scarcely seen all game apart from his tries - seizing on Joe's chip to put Haven 22-16 ahead.
Fax tied things up again when Paul Southern rumbled over from Gleeson's pass, and with Haven looking like they could have played on all night and not scored another try, even Manihera's drop goal looked to have been too early for the visitors.
But Greenwood's score was chalked off, Gleeson was held up and, with composure a distant memory, Fax went out when Jackson slotted over another point in injury time.

Click here to read: Calland: we feel robbed

MATCH FACTS
Halifax: Miles Greenwood; Lee Patterson, Jon Goddard, Richard Varkulis, James Haley; Graham Holroyd, Ben Black; Paul Southern, Mark Gleeson, David Wrench, Mark Flanagan, Paul Smith, Shad Royston. Subs: Sean Penkywicz, Danny Heaton, Dana Wilson, Frank Watene
Tries: Greenwood, Southern, Flanagan, Wilson
Goals: Holroyd (3)

Whitehaven: Gary Broadbent; Craig Calvert, Rob Jackson, John Patrick, Ade Adebisi; Gregg McNally, Tane Manihera; Karl Edmondson, Leroy Joe, David Fatialofa, Spencer Miller, Andy Gorski, Saia Makisi. Subs: Danny Barker, Marc Shackley, Ryan MacDonald, Marc Jackson
Tries: McNally (3), Adebisi
Goals: Manihera (3)
Drop goals: Manihera, Marc Jackson
Referee: Richard Silverwood (Whitehaven)
Attendance: 2,302

YOU SAY
Absolutely gutted today. We never really got going. Credit to whitehaven though. Thanks for a fantastic season i am really proud of my home town club. Up the fax. Peter .

Disapointing end to a good season.Haven proved defence wins big games,Fax were short of players with a rugby brain today. Message to RFL.You dont want the likes of Fax,Fev,Leigh and Widnes in Super League,so don't send us your refs! Leon.

Well fax they tackled well but we gave it to them on a plate ! Very disappointing end to a great season ! From ackers

Robbed. There's no other word for it. Absolutely gutted. Clare dooley

great season fax if only we had gone for a drop goal blunder