Needham Market manager Tom Rothery proud of players’ performance in FA Cup defeat to National League South side Weston-super-Mare

Manager Tom Rothery has spoken of his pride after watching his Needham Market side come up just short during their trip to higher-league Weston-super-Mare in the FA Cup on Saturday.

The Marketmen were beaten 1-0 by their National League South hosts, but Rothery was pleased with the way that his players acquitted themselves during the fourth qualifying round tie.

He told the club’s website: “I’m gutted to be honest. I don’t think we could have done any more obviously other than scoring, but I’m really proud of the effort that we’ve given.

“It’s what we said at the start of the day, just give everything that you’ve got, don’t play in fear and I thought we did that.

“At the start of the day, you’re asking the lads to play and play our game and don’t play within themselves and don’t play the occasion – I thought we did that.

“The start was tough, but after that we worked really well and look, give them credit, they’re flying in their league. They’re second in their league, which is the league above us and they moved the ball really well.

“It’s a compliment to us that they’ve had to sit off in the second half and really, we've had big spells in the game and big segments in the game where we’ve really pinned them back.”

With their cup run now over, 16th-placed Needham’s focus will switch to moving themselves up the Southern League Premier Central Division table.

Tomorrow they will welcome Stourbridge to Bloomfields (3pm) before they renew their rivalry with Bury Town on Wednesday (7.45pm).

Ahead of kick off against the Blues, Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna will open the new Main Stand at the ground.