Peterborough United 3-3 Bolton Wanderers: Posh hit back as Trotters miss out
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Malik Mothersille (left) and Joel Randell both scored for Peterborough
Malik Mothersille scored twice as Peterborough came back from two goals down to earn a point against Bolton, who missed out on automatic promotion from League One.
Ian Evatt's side needed to win and hope promotion rivals Derby lost at home to Carlisle, with a four-goal swing in Wanderers' favour, in order to snatch second place on goal difference.
They made the perfect start, with Kyle Dempsey's header and Dion Charles' penalty putting them in control early on.
But Derby got the win they needed and Posh, who will join Bolton in the play-offs, brilliantly hit back in the second half, with Mothersille reducing the deficit and then putting the hosts ahead after Joel Randall had equalised.
Cameron Jerome then levelled for the Trotters, but it mattered little.
Bolton made the ideal start as Dempsey nodded in Randell Williams' left-wing cross and Charles' 18th goal of the season doubled their lead inside the first eight minutes.
Charles calmly slotted home from the spot after Hector Kyprianou needlessly fouled Williams near the edge of the penalty area.
Ephron Mason-Clark missed a chance to halve the deficit shortly before half-time when he fired wide after being put through by Harrison Burrows.
But Mothersille made no mistake, scoring from close range after being teed up by David Ajiboye's cross, and Randall coolly lifted the ball over keeper Nathan Baxter after being put through on goal by Mason-Clark.
Peterborough's third goal was beautifully created by Randall, who flicked the ball to Burrows and collected the return pass before crossing for Mothersille to apply the finish.
Jerome levelled by nudging in Nathanael Ogbeta's left-wing cross - the veteran striker's third goal in as many matches.
Bolton finished third in the table and will face Barnsley in a two-legged semi-final, while Posh, who finished fourth, will play Oxford United.