Worksop Town boss Craig Parry disappointed at manner of FA Trophy exit

Deegan Atherton challenges for the ball.

The hosts led through Sado Djalo midway through the first half before Ben Tomlinson scrambled home an equaliser just after the break. However, poor defending led to Michael Hall putting Dunston back ahead four minutes later.

Jack Broadhead again levelled the game before Ursene Mouanda’s 84th-minute goal from Jake Picton’s lapse in concentration sent the North East side into the second qualifying round.

“It is a bitter one to take really,” said Parry. “It was some silly goals from human errors to give away, but the second half was one-way traffic.

Boss Craig Parry was disappointed by Worksop's defending.

“They dropped in and countered but they haven’t scored on the counter, the goals came from mistakes and silly free-kicks which allowed them to throw it in the box and one of our defenders made an unusual mistake.

“At the minute, it is tough to take because we played some good football in the second half.

“I have turned round to them in the changing room and said not to feel sorry for themselves and that it could have been this or it should have been that, we have to grab games by the scruff of the neck and ensure that we are putting teams to bed.

“I can handle good teams cutting us up – their first goal today was a good move – so it isn’t a blame game on that side of things, but we must cut out the silly mistakes.”

Ben Tomlinson scores for Worksop. Pics by Lewis Pickersgill.

Deegan Atherton produced a man-of-the-match display in the heart of the defence after Lewis Gibbens was forced off at half-time due to an injury.

And Parry praised the 21-year-old’s efforts after working closely with him since the start of pre-season.

“Deegan has been immense since he has come back in pre-season,” he added. “He is so low maintenance; I ask him to play any position and he plays it.

“Every game he puts in a seven-out-of-ten performance, and he never lets me down.

“For me, he is doing extremely well, and he has been the same over the last year, which is a credit to the management team, who have helped him work on his strengths and weaknesses to make him into a more well-rounded player.”