A try botched by Crusaders captain Kieran Read summed up the Crusaders’ night and their miserable recent playoff record on Saturday night as they went down to the Chiefs 20-19 in Hamilton.

Their rampant five-match winning run ground to a halt to become the fifth successive Super Rugby season the perennial heavyweights have failed at the semi-final or final stage.

Coach Todd Blackadder has overseen all five frustrating campaigns since succeeding the decorated Robbie Deans and admitted this defeat stung more than others.

“I’m probably disappointed that we didn’t play with the width and the dominance in the areas that we would have liked,” he said.

“It comes down to those critical decision-making errors on the field.”

One glaring lack of execution came from All Blacks No.8 Read, who busted into space just after halftime when his team led 9-3.

He looked set to score himself but threw a pass which was intercepted near the tryline.

The gamble to take the gamble and go for the intercept paid off for Chiefs winger Asaeli Tikoirotuma, in what Blackadder called a 14-point play. Momentum swung and the hosts rattled off 17 unanswered points.

“It comes down to those moments,” Blackadder said.

“Probably the difference is that the Chiefs took their two (tryscoring) opportunities and we didn’t quite nail ours.”

Blackadder had no regrets about leaving it until the 67th minute to introduce All Blacks great Richie McCaw off the bench, believing openside Matt Todd didn’t warrant replacing.

Blackadder’s future at the Crusaders is currently being negotiated.

An extension was likely according to media reports ahead of this latest semi-final loss.