Milton Keynes Dons will spend the 2024/25 season playing in League Two after the team suffered a dismal 5-1 loss at home in the second leg of the playoffs semi-final.
The Dons entered the match with the monumental task of overcoming a 3-0 deficit after a dismal performance in the first leg at Broadfield Stadium, and it was too much for them as they slumped to an 8-1 aggregate score, the worst playoff result in the Dons' brief history.
The Dons began the match brightly, but things turned almost immediately with a brief spell of the team playing keep away with the ball around their own penalty box.
Jay Williams pounced on a soft pass from Jack Tucker and slotted the ball into the net after just three minutes of play, putting themselves 4-0 ahead on aggregate.
The Dons found it difficult to break down the visitors, and their first real opportunity came when Corey Addai's release of the ball fell to Gilbey on the edge of the box.
With the keeper out of position, Gilbey struck the ball but his delivery sent it straight back towards Addai, who palmed it down before gathering the loose ball inside the area.
Moments later, Tomlinson struck a strong effort that forced Addai into making a double-handed diving save, keeping the visitors ahead.
The defence, which has been under fire for a number of poor performances in recent weeks, once again could not keep their opponents at bay as Danilo Orsi scored Crawley's second from the edge of the box.
Tomlinson had a hopeful shot 36 minutes in, once again from the edge of the box but his effort went straight at Addai and was dealt with comfortably by the Crawley defence.
With five minutes added time for the first half, the Dons managed to pull a goal back through Max Dean, with the team's star striker slotting home from close range.
The Dons were then lucky to not concede again, as Jack Tucker was there just in time to clear an effort off the line after Crawley caught the defensive line napping.
The misery of the home fans was compounded just three minutes into the restart as Crawley scored yet again, with a simple passing play to tap home their sixth goal across two matches.
Dons had a chance to score just after the hour mark, as Alex Gilbey struck while Addai was on the ground after making an initial save.
The shot hit a defender and Addai managed to pounce on the ball just before Emre Tezgel, on as a substitute, was able to get there.
The Dons won a penalty in the 66th minute after an Ellis Harrison cross attempt struck the arm of Liam Kelly inside the box. Dean stepped up, but Addai palmed his low-shot effort away.
The visitors were not content with their lead however, as Jack Roles took a long-range chance and nearly extended their tally, with Filip Marschall narrowly palming the ball onto the post.
It took him a few minutes, but Roles got his goal as the Dons were unable to clear the ball inside their own box, with the Crawley man slotting home.
Crawley scored their fifth three minutes into added time.
The Dons had no answers for Crawley across the two legs and will spend a second consecutive season in the fourth tier as a result.
It's difficult to envision what the Dons team will look like next season, with plenty of turnover expected as the team looks to find a way back into League One.
The reality will be a tough pill to swallow, just two years removed from an agonisingly close attempt at earning promotion to the Championship.
It's a far cry from that memorable season under Liam Manning, and so much needs to be done on and off the pitch if there is any hope of the team coming close to those days in the near future.
MK Dons Lineup: Marschall, Lofthouse, Tucker, O'Hora, Harvie, Tomlinson, Bate (45' Harrison), Payne (56' Williams), Gilbey, Wearne (56' Tezgel), Dean
