Cambridge United secured automatic promotion from League Two despite Ben Knight missing a penalty in a goalless draw at Crewe.
The U’s were awarded a first-half spot-kick when Sullay Kaikai was bundled over in the box, but Knight’s low effort was well saved by Ian Lawlor.
With Salford City in with a chance of pipping them to third place if they could beat Crawley, it became an increasingly nervous afternoon for the away supporters.
Josh March headed just wide from a corner as the home side rallied following Cambridge’s confident start.
And he had another big chance when Mickey Demetriou nodded the ball down in the box, but his close-range effort was smothered by keeper Jake Eastwood.
Former Crewe striker Elliott Nevitt was sent on at half-time by U’s boss Neil Harris and they had more shots on target than the home side, without being able to find a way past Lawlor.
They almost won it in added time but Lawlor saved from a header by Kelland Watts and then blocked Dom Ball’s follow-up with his legs.
A point, though, was enough to return Cambridge to League One at the first attempt following last season’s relegation, having conceded only 33 goals in their 46 games, with Salford unable to find a winner in their game either.
“We weren’t the better team, but we had the better chances, even in the 96th minute, to win it outright,” boss Neil Harris told BBC Radio Cambridgeshire.
“That’s been us so many times this season, we’ve been the better team with loads of chances, but not scored at key moments – if we did, we’d have 100 points and have been up ages ago.
“Ultimately it’s irrelevant, we got over the line. If you can’t win a game, don’t lose it, that’s my philosophy, and it proved absolutely correct.”
