Scoring twice at Wembley means nothing says dejected Taylor

The 22-year-old striker, who earlier this month helped Exeter City stay in League One, could not assist his parent club in joining the Devonians in English football's third tier.

Twice Taylor equalised for Rotherham at the national stadium but neither he nor his Millers team-mates could find a third reply to Jon Nurse's deflected effort that sealed the win and promotion for Dagenham & Redbridge.

"I scored two goals but it doesn't feel like I've scored two goals at Wembley," said the Rotherham-born frontman whose hunger has been rediscovered after his loan spell at Exeter.

"To score twice at Wembley is a great achievement but we haven't gone up so it doesn't really mean anything.

"I didn't even think I'd get back into the squad when I got back from Exeter, so to get straight back into the team and score two goals at Wembley would normally be something to be really proud of, but at the minute I'm absolutely gutted about the result.

"All the lads are drained and absolutely devastated. It was a decent performance, everybody worked hard.

"We've just got to push on next season, we all want to play in League One, me included.

"We've shown today we are good enough to do so, and on another day we might have won it."

Taylor was one of a host of Rotherham players to emerge from the Wembley dressing room with despair written across their faces.

Experienced goalkeeper Andy Warrington was another.

"There's no place for losers at Wembley, and we've found that out the hard way. It's like a morgue in that dressing room," said the 33-year-old.

"It was probably a decent game to look at but sat in that dressing room is the worst moment in football that I've ever had.

"It's really hard seeing the lads' faces. There's a lot of friends in there and we are just absolutely gutted for one another."

Despite defeat, Warrington – who was in the triumphant Doncaster Rovers side which beat Dagenham in the Conference play-off final seven years ago – believes the Millers are on the up after five years blighted by relegations and

financial difficulties. "Without a shadow of a doubt, this club has turned a corner," said Warrington, who joined Rotherham three years ago.

"We've come up a little short today but the positive things that are in and around the club, the new stadium etc, suggest the club is going in the right direction.

"That's really pleasing to see, it's just that today we're bitterly disappointed.

"There's not much more we can do on the pitch; we've got the third or fourth best defensive record in the division and as a goalkeeper that's really positive to see.

"The back four have been magnificent all season.

"We've just got to bounce back now."

Like Taylor, Warrington's contribution was vital, particularly in the first half when he made a string of good saves from point-blank range.

But as with his younger team-mate, any personal satisfaction was eclipsed by collective despair.

He said: "My saves don't mean anything when you see the Dagenham lads go up the steps to collect the trophy."