WEYMOUTH Under-23s’ manager Craig Adams admitted he “couldn’t watch” as the Terras lost the Hampshire Combination Under-23 Challenge Cup on penalties to Laverstock & Ford.

Weymouth hit the bar through Elliot Rossiter before Archie Lovegrove’s penalty, given for a foul by Haydn Payne on James Budgell, put Lavvy 1-0 up.

Joe Wragg hit back with a calm finish seven minutes from time, before Kelson Pollard arrowed a long-range effort against the bar in the 87th minute.

However, penalties were required and in sudden death the sides were locked at 5-5 before Sam Swain’s miss allowed Finn Roberts to score the winner, sending Lavvy into ecstasy.

READ MORE: Weymouth U23s 1-1 Laverstock & Ford U23s (Laverstock win 6-5 on pens) - report

Speaking to Echosport after the devastating loss, Adams hailed as “outstanding” his side during the initial 90 minutes.

“I couldn’t watch,” he admitted.

“Penalties are a lottery but I said I’d be proud of anyone that wants one, just commit to your spot, have a deep breath and if it happens, it happens.

“If it doesn’t, you’ve committed and that’s all you can do on a penalty.

“In the game itself, I thought we were outstanding. We didn’t really pass it, retain the ball in the first half.

“But, on the counter, we were lightning and I felt like something electric was going to happen.

“Then, we conceded a very soft penalty, which looked like a shoulder barge to me.

“Second half, we set out to go for a higher press and set things up. The amount of times we nicked the ball was a credit to the boys.

“We got what we deserved. I thought we could’ve nicked it after Wraggy scored when Kelson it the crossbar. He was fantastic second half.

“Overall, I’m so proud of the Weymouth lads. We’ve got a lot of 16, 17 and 18-year-olds in our team. They’re at the start of their journey.”

Adams also paid credit to Lavvy, who persisted with an attractive brand of passing football, stemming from their own six-yard box.

“You have to tip your hat to the opposition,” Adams insisted.

“They came with an experienced looking side compared to ours.

“Some of our lads have barely got a bit of fluff on their chins and some of their lads turned up and looked like they needed a shave!

“No hard feelings, though, we stuck with the boys that have been with us all season and they were a credit to themselves.

“There’s not a bad human being. That’s credit to their parents, they’re a tremendous group of boys and represent themselves and Weymouth brilliantly.”

Pound for pound, Weymouth enjoyed the bigger chances in the 90 minutes and Adams was left to ponder a lack of ruthlessness in front of goal.

He added: “Yeah, definitely. I felt we were a little bit edgy, anxious and snatchy.

“That’s what happens when you tighten up a bit. That showed throughout the game with some of the turnovers when we were trying to pass the ball out.

“The boys don’t usually do that. I said to just come out of that nervousness and play, I don’t care if you make a mistake.

“Maybe I didn’t do that enough before the game, but we live and learn.

“Some of the boys, their ages, they performed so well against what looked like a seasoned team.

“I felt with the ascendancy we had towards the end, we probably could’ve nicked it but for the finishing.

“That adversity will make us stronger, 100 per cent. I’m ultra proud and really disappointed (for them).

“The lads were classy in defeat, which shows their characters. They stayed to clap Laverstock off the pitch.

“You can’t disappear after a defeat. You have to show a bit of class, face up to it.”