The final whistle brought tears to Maritzburg United players on Saturday, as many of them tasted the bitterness of an unfulfilled dream after losing the Nedbank Cup final to Free State Stars.

They threw themselves on to the Cape Town Stadium turf, inconsolable, having suffered a 1-0 loss to a rigid Ea Lla Koto, who never looked like losing the moment Goodman Dlamini scored just before half time.

It took courage for the Team of Choice to be lifted, literally, off the field, and it was their captain Bevan Fransman who told his teammates to go to the other side and applaud their fans - for whom defeat was similarly painful.

"We should have been more brave," a dejected Fransman said afterwards.

"We had so much possession but when we got to the final third, we didn't take risks. But in a final like this, you need to take shots at goal. We were too cautious. Stars took their one chance and stood back. We probably would have done the same."

Maritzburg were also undone by Stars' rigidity in midfield, where the experienced Paulus Masehe, who was named man of the match, was able to break down most of their attacks.

Rooi Mahamutsa and Bangali Keita were also solid at the back, and it didn't help that Fadlu Davids deployed Andrea Fillecia on the right wing when perhaps he could have been more effective playing through the centre.

Any critical analysis of Maritzburg should also recognise that this was their first final in the club's history and in their entire squad, only Fransman and Siyanda Xulu had played in one before.

"We can be proud of what we have done this season... any team would be delighted to finish fourth in the league standings and reach a cup final, especially as we were playing with so many youngsters. It's been a good season."

The question now is whether this was a flash in the pan for Maritzburg, or if they will build on this little success.