WHEN ALI AL-HABSI saved Michael Hefele’s penalty, the dream was so tantalisingly close.
When Liam Kelly rattled in from the spot moments later, the Wembley party was about to start.
After a nervy, passionate, tense and at times excruciating 120 minutes, Reading were almost there. Back in the promised land of the Premier League after four years away.
But within minutes, it all came tumbling down.
Locked at 0-0, the Championship play-off final with Huddersfield Town meandered all the way to a penalty shoot-out to determine which side would claim the £170 million prize and promotion to the most illustrious league in world football.
Yann Kermorgant, Danny Williams and Kelly made no mistake while Al-Habsi again produced from the spot to deny Hefele as Royals opened up a 3-1 advantage.
Even when Liam Moore blazed his penalty high over the crossbar, Reading remained ahead.
But that lead soon vanished when Jordan Obita’s low effort was saved by Danny Ward, allowing Christopher Schindler to stroke home the winning kick to give Huddersfield victory.
From 3-1 up to 4-3 down and within three minutes, 10 months of hard work ended with no reward.
While the instant talk will be of pride at the achievement of reaching the final, this will really hurt.
For the likes of Kermorgant and Al-Habsi, it looks increasingly unlikely they will grace the Premier League again, particularly the Frenchman who will retire after next season.
For the younger players, including Moore and Obita, the scars of this defeat will no doubt run deep.
But when the dust settles, there will be nothing but pride in what Jaap Stam and Reading have achieved this season.
When the Dutchman arrived, the team was in a bad state.
A second consecutive low bottom half finish in the table, a squad full of loan players and key men in Oliver Norwood and Aaron Tshibola wanting to leave, Stam had a huge rebuilding job on his hands in his first season as a first team manager.
However, slowly but surely, he recruited young and hungry players to complement the experienced internationals already in the side and provided a breath of fresh air to the whole club.
A new formation, style of play and philosophy took some time for fans and players to get used to. But it soon became clear that it was bringing results.
Sitting in the top six for the majority of the season, whenever it looked like the Royals may slip out of play-off contention, they produced a big performance and big result.
Written off at every juncture all season Reading defied the odds beat Leeds United, won at Sheffield Wednesday and stunned big favourites Fulham across two legs in the semi-finals.
But Wembley proved one step too far.
What happens in the next few weeks remains unclear.
With Stam at the helm, anything remains possible for next season despite potential player departures with out of contract Williams top of the list of those likely to leave.
The manager himself said he feared other clubs could come in for his better players if Reading could not clinch promotion.
Some clubs may well be looking to Stam himself too, with one year left on his contract.
Immediately after Monday’s game, Wembley skipper Chris Gunter said the most important summer move will be tying down the manager.
The new Chinese owners Dai Yongge and Dai Xiu Li are now in place and have a big job straightaway to try and extend the stay of the man behind it all.
Whatever happens, it will be extremely tough to go one better next season.
But with Stam, Reading will have a chance.
