Kimberley had reached the ECB National Club Championship semi-finals for the first time, but an early batting collapse saw them lose by 61 runs to visiting Northern on Sunday.
“It was very disappointing,” said captain Dom Brown.
“After winning the toss and bowling first I thought we actually did a pretty good job at restricting them to 241.
“But then we went and shot ourselves in the foot at 17-5 in response.
“If you compare the two powerplays I think they were 70-0 and we were 17-5.
“Their two experienced opening bowlers bowled two very good opening spells.
“We actually did really well from there to drag ourselves back to a respectable loss at the end of the day.
“It would be nice to have another go at it, but sport does not work like that.”
Kimberley won the toss and put Northern into bat and the visitors responded with 241-8 from their 40 overs.
Captain James Cole scored 50 with 48 from Alex Vincent, 38 from Liam Grey, 26 from Chris Laker and 25 from Tyler McGladdery, Dom Brown taking 3-56.
But Kimberley lost George Bacon with the score on three and quickly crumbled to 17-5.
Ximus Du Plooy did all he could with a gutsy 67, including six fours and two sixes, while Harry Ratcliffe (34), Alex King (32) and George Scottorn (20)also offered some fight.
Du Plooy and Ratcliffe put on 86 for the sixth wicket and King and George Scottorn a defiant 49 for the ninth wicket when Kimberley were well behind the required run rate to progress.
They were all out for 180, losing by 61 runs with 19 balls still to bowl.
The previous day, Kimberley had won by five wickets at Notts & Arnold Amateur to stay second in the Nottinghamshire Premier League.
Choosing to bat, Notts were skittled out for 124, Rishan Herath making 26, while Du Ploy took 3-17.
An unbeaten 43 from Jack Nightingale then steered Kimberley home to 128-5 in 31.4 overs, Du Ploy adding 28.
This Saturday Kimberley are at Hucknall, who are rivals for the runners-up spot, just eight points behind them in fourth.
And on Sunday they host holders Cuckney in the Derbyshire County League Premier Cup semi-finals with Brown saying: “There is still plenty to play for and this is another massive weekend for us.”