Tony Pulis has bemoaned the fact that one set play cost Middlesbrough over their two Championship playoff semi-final meetings with Aston Villa but remains proud of his players.
Mile Jedinak headed home Jack Grealish's corner in the 15th minute of the first leg at the Riverside Stadium, which turned out to be the only goal of the tie.
Steve Bruce's charges went on to shut Boro out in the second leg at Villa Park to deny them a place in the final at Wembley Stadium.
"A set play has really cost us over two games," Pulis told Sky Sports News at the end of the second leg.
"I'm very, very proud of the lads. In the first half tonight, we played really, really well. But we've created opportunities and we've got to take those opportunities.
"The teams that finished third and fourth over a season have got to Wembley and that's justification I can accept. It's difficult for me to say that, but they've been the third and fourth-best teams in the league."
Boro finished fifth in the Championship table this season after having been relegated from the Premier League last year.
