Stowmarket Town manager Paul Musgrove calls on players to not dwell on FA Cup disappointment against AFC Sudbury

Paul Musgrove has warned his Stowmarket Town side that they have no time to feel sorry for themselves as they resume their Pitching In Isthmian League North Division campaign this weekend.

Stow’s hopes of an extended run in this season’s Emirates FA Cup were cut short on Tuesday night,after ex-captain Ollie Brown’s extra-time winner saw his new club AFC Sudbury prevail 3-2 in a preliminary round replay at Greens Meadow.

But Musgrove is determined for there to be no hangover following two closely-contested ties with the Yellows as they prepare to visit Hashtag United tomorrow (3pm), and then host newly-promoted Wroxham on Monday (3pm).

“We’ve got to make sure with these two games coming up on the bank holiday weekend that we pick ourselves up and go again,” the Stow boss said. “There’s no point feeling sorry for ourselves. Everybody has got a responsibility to recover well and then focus on the next league games.

“We’ve got a newly-shaped squad and it’s like I said at the start: ‘Rome wasn’t built in a day’.

“There have been changes, some that have been forced changes, and we’ve brought people in who are very good players.

“It’s about gelling them together and making sure we get consistent performances.”

For the second season in a row, Stow were drawn against Sudbury in the FA Cup, with their Suffolk rivals having beaten Musgrove’s side in the second qualifying round on the way to reaching the first-round proper.

An earlier meeting in this year’s FA Cup saw Stow make the trip to the MEL Group Stadium on Saturday, with former striker Josh Mayhew handing the hosts a half-time lead.

Bermuda’s record appearance maker Reggie Lambe equalised from the penalty spot for Stow after the break, setting up a replay at Greens Meadow on Tuesday night, and another return for former manager Rick Andrews.

Ed Upson, who bagged a hat trick on his competitive debut for Stow at Greens Meadow on the opening day of the season, delighted the home crowd again by scoring from a free kick eight minutes into the replay.

Nnamdi Nwachuku equalised for the visiting Yellows with a well-taken strike on 34 minutes, before Joe Grimwood headed Sudbury in front with a header from a corner after 66 minutes.

Lambe struck again with an equaliser only two minutes later to force extra-time, and it was Brown, who ended his five-year stay at Stow in the summer to join their league rivals, that settled the tie with a header on 108 minutes to send the visitors through.

“Sudbury have clearly strengthened and strengthened very well in the summer,” Musgrove reflected.

“For me, the three goals we conceded in the replay were disappointing. At the end of the day it just wasn’t meant to be for us in the FA Cup this year.”

Musgrove will be boosted by the return of midfielder Tevan Allen from holiday this weekend, while defender Josh Curry (ankle) is a doubt.