"The last couple of weeks we had nothing to play for but pride, so it was good to finish on a high," said coach Claude Dumas.

"We were in the last play-off slot until last month and it's sad we couldn't stay there until the end."

Gareth Owen scored in the dying seconds at Chelmsford to ensure Tigers' double-win finish.

Tigers had had to come back from 3-0 down in Essex. Marek Hornak and Jim Corfield made it 3-2 going into the final session, and although Chelmsford kept it tight throughout, further goals from Karol Jets, Dean Tonks and Milan Kostolny put the Tigers 5-4 up.

Chelmsford equalised in the final minute, but a last-gasp shot from 'Gizmo' Owen brought the curtain down on the season with a victory.

In the previous game at home, Hornak and Mackriel both scored twice as Tigers hit double figures for only the second time in the campaign.

"Everybody had fun and we scored a lot of goals," said man of the match Hornak.