DORCHESTER Town manager Robbie Herrera labelled the Magpies’ 3-1 FA Cup loss to Yate Town as a “disappointing day” for the club.
Herrera’s men exited the FA Cup at the first qualifying round for the second successive season after last year’s 2-1 upset at ninth-tier Christchurch.
Their demise to Yate looked barely conceivable after dominating the first 30 minutes, Oakley Hanger producing the Magpies’ best moment when hitting the post with a header.
But Yate took the lead against the run of play when experienced midfielder Tom Soares gifted a free-kick away and the deflected strike allowed Will Tunnicliff to supply ex-Magpie Olly Mehew for 1-0.
Mehew doubled the Bluebells’ advantage from a seemingly offside position but Dorchester halved the deficit when Hanger’s shot squirmed underneath keeper Andrew Hannah, presenting Sam Bayston with a tap-in.
Confidence bled out of Dorchester as the second half progressed and Yate delivered the telling blow in the 73rd minute when David Sims-Burgess swept home on the break.
READ MORE: Dorchester Town 1-3 Yate Town - match report
Speaking to Echosport, Herrera said: “Once again we’ve started well and for the first half hour we’ve dominated.
“Again, good balls in the box, we had some half chances and they didn’t really offer anything.
“Then, as happens so often, against the run of play we get caught. We don’t get caught once, we get caught twice.
“I’m coming in every week saying the same sort of thing. I can’t keep saying it.
“After that, just not good enough. We did have a response just before half-time to get the goal but the manner of the goals we gave away were not acceptable.
“Second half we huffed and puffed and did OK at times but didn’t offer enough again. Then we got caught once more.
“A disappointing day. I’m leading the team so I’ve got to take the flak because I’m sure the lads put in all the effort and determination to win the game.
“But we, once again, have fallen short.”
Herrera feels, for all Dorchester’s good play this season, that the Magpies are beginning to be affected by their run of bad luck and results.
“You revert to type, don’t you?” he said. “When things go against you, you think: ‘Here we go again’.
“We’ve had that recently. How we get that out of the players is anybody’s guess.
“We’ll keep working and I’ll hopefully look to bring in two or three bodies this week to shake things up, which is needed.
“We’ll assess things at training, speak to people and see where we go.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel