City of Liverpool boss Michael Ellison expressed his frustration as his side slipped to defeat against Marine.
After a goalless first 45, James Barrigan put the visitors in front before the Purps levelled through a brilliant solo goal from top goalscorer Jack Hazlehurst.
However, Steve Irwin was downed in the box shortly after, which Lewis Reilly duly converted as the promotion hopefuls left the VanEupen Arena 2-1 winners.
The task of overturning the deficit was made harder when Hazlehurst was shown a straight red following a coming together with the Mariners defender.
And the City of Liverpool manager was left frustrated by the outcome of the game whilst feeling aggrieved at certain decisions.
“I think the overriding feeling was frustration. The game wasn’t a great footballing game or spectacle I’m sure that was the same for a lot of the games in the league,” Ellison told Off The Park.
“I thought we more than matched them in large parts of the game, I think we should’ve took one of chances in the first half when the wind was with us and you go in 1-0 but we didn’t do that.
“To concede the goal we conceded after half-time, I think I described it as pathetic after the game and I haven’t changed my minds it’s really really poor from us defensively and that hasn’t been like us in recent weeks.
“We get back into it with a fantastic goal with Jack Hazlehurst and then we give away a stupid penalty where he’s going nowhere, it is a penalty, even then we had some decent moments; free-kicks in dangerous areas box, balls in the box but we couldn’t capitalise and disappointed to be honest.
“They had the wind as well [in the second half], they were going to play higher up the pitch and squeeze the pitch, we knew that.
“To concede the way we did, not just the time but the manner of it, we’ve had nine men behind the ball when they’ve had a throw-in, should never of been a throw-in, we should’ve shepherded it out, showed a bit more composure.
“They’ve got it into the front man, had a runner from midfield and we haven’t tracked him and he’s slotted it in well.
“The frustrating thing is we can’t work on nothing in training, it wasn’t how we set up, a lack of concentration and communication, so we’re disappointed in the game, the timing of it and how we conceded the goal was really poor.
“I think [the feeling after the game] frustration more than anything, the game was really close. We’ve got a few out, they’re struggling for centre-halves, they still have very good attacking options.
“We knew if we could get at them but when you see the wind like that it spoils any game so there wasn’t much football to be played.
“Real frustrating because if you take them two instances away, there was nothing in it and if anything we had the better opportunities, better moments and just a lack of composure.
“That’s why they’re up there because they’re effective in both boxes, give them a sniff and they take it. It’s disappointing to concede when we did, to get back in with a fantastic goal and then to concede straight away with a penalty.
“It’s just madness but that’s football, if we all had the answers it would be easy.”
On Hazlehurst’s suspension, Ellison admitted he will be a miss for the Purps ahead of their trip to Leek Town.
He continued: “He’s a massive miss, he’s been brilliant for us, he’s our leading goalscorer. The sending off, I think he has to send their lad off as well, their lads threw the ball at him and Jack’s pushed him back, originally I thought it was a punch but he’s not that sort of lad, he’s not aggressive.
“I think the height difference was worse than what it was. We have no complaints, it’s definitely a sending off but I think their lad is lucky to stay on the pitch, he should’ve walked the two of them, you can’t throw a ball at someone and expect to stay on the pitch.
“I think that’s their experience, he’s instigated it and it’s worked and they’re thinking it’s job done.
“I think we were the last team to beat them, I think since we beat them at home they’ve won every single game that they’ve played, beat Marine, Rylands big sides on the way.
“We’re under no illusions, they’ll want to beat us, we’re well aware if you go there and you’re not on it you’ll be on the end of a hiding, it’s important we forget about Saturday, Saturday’s gone. Our focus turns onto Leek.”
[Featured image: City of Liverpool]
