AFC Liverpool manager Chris Anderson expressed his disappointment to be knocked out of the FA Vase as Abbey Hey progressed on penalties.
A frantic end saw AFC Liverpool level, go ahead before a last-gasp equaliser from the North West Counties First Division North side took it to penalties.
Ultimately, the Non-League Reds didn’t have enough to win in the lottery that is the shootout and were beaten in sudden death of the shootout.
Anderson told Off The Park: “It was a typical cup match, I don’t think it was any decent quality from each side. The pitch didn’t help, they played it better than we did, they scored off a set-piece and a cross so that’s their two goals even though they had a couple of chances.
“Even the goals we did score, we did play good football to score the goals but we didn’t do it that many times in the game so when we did get it down and play we got a positive result when we didn’t get anything from it.
“Still disappointed, I think it’s going to take a while to get over. Very proud of the lads to get as far as they did, making history for the club, no other team in AFC history had ever got so far so that’s a positive. Now, we just have to get back to league action and finish as high as we possibly can.
“We were out of the game if you look at it before 82 minutes, we were getting kicked out of the competition at that point. We scored then 83/84 minutes you’re thinking we’re taking this to penalties and we score 92nd basically last kick of the game they’ve scored. They’ve had an overload in that area, hit the big fella, he’s scored a header it is what it is.
“I don’t think we played our style of football, don’t think the pitch helped, we like to play and because it wasn’t a great pitch, we struggled to make the right decisions with the ball. I think our effective players weren’t able to affect the game normally, if you’re struggling with that then we struggle overall.”
With the anguish fresh on their minds, they’re looking to keep the run going in the league and move on from their trophy exit.
They travel to Barnoldswick who go into the clash on the back of a 4-0 defeat to Litherland REMYCA.
“It’s not an easy place to go, pitch normally isn’t unbelievable so it’s going to have to be one of those things where you work hard, look to find another way if it isn’t going the way we want it to go.”
[Featured image: Dave Williams]
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