The Western Force's dream of a first finals series slipped away despite their 19-15 Swyftx Super Rugby Pacific win over the Fijian Drua at HBF Park on Saturday night.
The Force went into the Kids Round game knowing their destiny was in their own hands.
They needed a bonus point victory to be any chance of catching the sixth-placed Queensland Reds in the final round but fell short as they hunted for elusive late tries.
In a record-breaking night, Kurtley Beale became the third most capped player in Super Rugby history with 186 appearances when he came from the bench after the break.
And homegrown flanker Carlo Tizzano scored his 30th Force try, equalling foundation player Cameron Shepherd's long-standing record.
His five-pointer and Max Burey's conversion were the only Force first-half points in an underwhelming display.
The Drua crossed twice from flanker Kitione Salawa and hooker Zuriel Togiatama. Kemu Valetini converted one.
After the break barnstorming No.8 Vaiolini Ekuasi added the Force second, Burey converted, and winger Zac Lomax crossed wide. Valetini added a penalty.
The result leaves the Force in eighth, six points behind the Reds who narrowly edged Moana Pasifika earlier in the day.
The Force will host the NSW Waratahs next Saturday in the final game of the campaign, the Club’s Members Game with tickets on sale via Ticketmaster.
In a scrappy first period neither side really took control but by the break the Drua had forced the Force into twice as many tackles.
The visitors opened as expected, battering through the centre where their backrowers were menacing at a messy breakdown, before going to width.
The Force used their set piece early, predictably taking line-outs from consecutive penalties.
And, equally predictably, it was Tizzano at the back of the rolling maul who went over after nine minutes for his 11th try in 11 games at HBF Park.
But after taking the early lead the Force were set back on their own line and despite some rugged defence Drua flanker Salawa went over close to the posts. Converted.
The visitors then took the lead from a set move when Togiatama was found on the wing by a great long ball from former Force scrumhalf Isaak Fines-Leleiwasa.
The penalty count mounted against the Force and they were playing under a warning before the break with the Drua having dominated play.
The Force needed to be clinical and stay controlled to keep their hopes alive after the re-start as their pack went to work.
They destroyed the Fijian scrum twice - the second time Ekuasi went from the back to crash over. Burey converted to give his side the lead.
Their hopes of the bonus point win still seemed unlikely as Drua launched a massive multi-phase attack that ended with the Force under another warning and a penalty from Valetini to put his side one point ahead.
As tension rose, reserve hooker Nic Dolly was denied a five-pointer when Salawa knocked the ball from his hands as he dived over but Lomax made no mistake in the corner after the ball was swung wide.
And just when captain Jeremy Williams looked to have taken the game to the wire with two minutes remaining his try was ruled out for a knock-on by Dylan Peitsch.
Western Force 19
Tries: Tizzano (9'), Ekuasi (50), Lomax (68')
Conversions Burey 2/3
Penalties: Nil
Fijian Drua 15
Tries: Salawa (16'), Togiatama (27'),
Conversions: Valetini 1/2
Penalties: Valetini 1/1
Crowd: 6526 @ HBF Park
