Great Britain won their first international on home soil on Saturday, but still saw their hopes of qualifying for the 2012 European Championships dashed.
Steven Larsson scored in the last minute to secure a 33-32 win over Bulgaria at Crystal Palace National Sports Centre but defeats to Cyprus, 24-16, and Estonia, 35-26, in the days before saw them crash out.
Captain Ciaran Williams said: "It's been a long time coming since I joined the programme at the start four years ago.
"To get our first win in front of friends, family and supporters means so much and I' so happy to have done this, for the fans just as much as for the team."
Head coach Dragan Djukic added: "I'm very proud of the team, because we've started to believe in ourselves.
"I'm sure that we will not stop winning now.
"We've always had hope of a first win, but we've also been realistic about what it would take.
"Now we have it, we know how much it means to us all."
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