CHARLTON boss Phil Parkinson paid tribute to his heartbroken players after a gruelling play-off tie ended in a penalty shootout defeat to Swindon.

Despite taking a two-goal lead in the first half and turning the two-legged battle on its head, the Addicks conceded with quarter of an hour remaining to force extra-time.

And despite hitting the post twice in the additional 30 minutes, as well as coming close on several other occasions, it was skipper Nicky Bailey’s penalty miss which sent the Robins to Wembley 5-4 on the dreaded spot kicks.

Parkinson was sympathetic to Bailey’s plight.

He said: "The lads are devastated. Nicky Bailey's inconsolable in there, he can't speak.

“But he's won us many games this season with his whole-hearted displays and he's been terrific.”

After the match, several Charlton players, including Bailey and keeper Darren Randolph, appeared inconsolable as their Swindon counterparts celebrated moving one step closer to Championship football.

And Parky revealed the feelings of dejection spread throughout the squad, adding: "I don't think I've ever been in a more distraught dressing room in my whole career.

“The lads are devastated, not a word has been spoken.

"I just had to say to them ‘lads, you've done yourselves proud with the performance you've put in tonight’, because they put in a tremendous display.

“To go out on penalties is cruel, but I couldn't have asked for any more of them."

The game finished as 10 men against 10 after red cards for centre-backs Gordon Greer and Miguel Llera.

But Addicks fans may feel hard done by it wasn’t 11 v nine in their favour after referee Neil Swarbrick failed to spot a blatant kick by Jonathan Douglas on a fallen Llera just before the interval.

And Llera again found himself on the unfortunate end of a Swarbrick decision later on when his clumsy challenge on Charlie Austin was deemed to have prevented a goalscoring opportunity despite Christian Dailly appearing to have the Spaniard covered.

Parkinson lamented the luck of the decisions in Charlton’s defeat, explaining: "I thought it was harsh, I thought it was a yellow card.

“The ref did well on the night but that was a big decision that went against us.”

Even opposite number Danny Wilson felt the decision was harsh, admitting: “"I thought it was marginal.

“Christian Dailly could have got across but the referee deemed it to be a sending off."