Michael Bailey Jamie Godbold has warned his Lowestoft team-mates their FA Vase semi-final exit must not be allowed to destroy the rest of the season. Despite getting the perfect start in their second leg tussle against Whitley Bay at Crown Meadow through Darren Cockrill's fifth minute goal, the Trawlerboys were unable to overturn the 2-1 first leg deficit from Hillheads after Leon Ryan headed home soon after.

Michael Bailey

Jamie Godbold has warned his Lowestoft team-mates their FA Vase semi-final exit must not be allowed to destroy the rest of the season.

Despite getting the perfect start in their second leg tussle against Whitley Bay at Crown Meadow through Darren Cockrill's fifth minute goal, the Trawlerboys were unable to overturn the 2-1 first leg deficit from Hillheads after Leon Ryan headed home soon after.

Bay striker Lee Kerr's dismissal after half-an-hour merely allowed Whitley to grow in strength against their unusually lacklustre opponents and after a heartbreaking afternoon in front of a capacity crowd, Godbold is hoping Town's exit will not affect their ability to pick up a Ridgeons League and Suffolk Premier Cup double.

"We're just really disappointed as you can imagine," said Godbold. "I don't think we really done ourselves justice, but let's just hope it doesn't destroy the rest of our season.

"We can't let it affect the season we've had so far.

"We've still got the league to play for, we've still got another cup final to go for and it's important - probably more than ever now - that we kick on and Tuesday's game now is a massive game for us."

Tomorrow sees Lowestoft return to Ridgeons League Premier Division action at Tiptree United, desperate to consolidate their 11-point lead at the top, while Needham Market await in the Premier Cup, at Portman Road on April 28.

But the Blues will have a hard time getting over their weekend Vase exit at the hands of the team they beat at the same stage of the competition last season.

"However high it was this time last year is however low we are this year," admitted Godbold. "It's on a par with the Wembley game last year. But we can't let it affect us now, we've come too far now for it to ruin our season.

"We've got a lot of disappointed lads in the dressing room but we've got to stick together, rally round each other and make sure we win Tuesday."

Godbold could offer little as to why the Trawlerboys failed to click in front of 2,250 fans at Crown Meadow.

"I have no idea; it happens to the best teams in the world, so it shouldn't really not affect us," he added. "I don't know what it is. Sometimes it goes for you and sometimes you just don't get that rub of the green, and it was just one of those days."

For Town joint manager Ady Gallagher, it was his side's failure to take their chances which cost them a second successive Vase final appearance at Wembley.

But the Blues boss was magnanimous in defeat - he can, after all, appreciate what Whitley Bay have in store for them over the coming weeks as the 2002 Vase winners prepare for a trip to the capital on May 10.

"We've had two or three really good chances second half, we haven't taken our chances, and ultimately that's cost us over the two games," said Gallagher.

"At this stage of a competition it's about the people who hold their nerve and still get the quality in their play.

"And I felt that despite the fact they had 10 men in the second half, they soaked up pressure and picked up more than their fair share of second ball and, fair play to them, someone's got to win today.

"We haven't been good enough and they've taken their chances, so good luck to them in the final."