For more than an hour of the afternoon, at 1-1, the Sulphurites were sitting safe in third-bottom, with Newport trailing at basement boys Barrow on a day when five sides were fighting the drop.

But sub Phillip Chinedu’s 82nd-minute winner sealed Harrogate’s fate and, after Newport turned the tables in Cumbria and Crawley held Salford to a 0-0 draw, a point would have proved insufficient in any case.

Earlier, Bryn Morris’ penalty had cancelled out Callum Stead’s eighth goal in five games for Barnet and Weaver pinned no blame a much-changed squad, arguing it was the side’s efforts during the first two-thirds of the season that should bear the responsibility for relegation.

He said: “We took 18 points from our first 30 games but, since then, our performance levels have been right up there. We took the chance in the window to replace players who hadn’t stepped up and, for this group of players to take it to the last day, has been a thrill.

“They have exceeded expectations. This is a painful experience, but we have stayed strong and together.

“We’ve got some young, aspirational players and I don’t want them scarred from this. It will make a mark, but this group of players have shown they are good enough to have careers in the game.

“They have played for the badge and given it their all and I’d have more regrets if we hadn’t given it our all. We just haven’t been ruthless enough or scored enough goals and that was the case again in this game.”

Barnet boss Dean Brennan watched his team end the season with a fifth straight win, but still finish short of the play-offs by two points and he warned the club could fall backwards if they don’t match his ambitions for progress.

He said: “Harrogate were trying to save their season after a couple of miraculous results but they’ve ended up going down and that’s a warning for everyone – if you’re not at it week in, week out, this is what can happen or, like us, you don’t make the play-offs.

“We’ve finished the season strongly, but we’ve only been in that top seven once this season, so it’s not been that good a season. Now, I need the resources to drive us to that next level because, not having all those things that add an extra one per cent has cost us this season.

“We’ve got to keep a winning mentality at the club. Bristol Rovers have finished the season strongly like us and I’m sure they won’t stand still.

“Steve Evans is in full control of that club. For me, I need to know are we going to keep our key players? I don’t think we will.

“But we have to keep stepping up because, if not, we will go the other way. It’s as simple as that.”