PAUL Smith admits his players’ confidence is ‘down by their knees’ after Bromsgrove Sporting lost 1-0 away at Chasetown to exit the FA Trophy.
Sporting striker Charlie Wragg had a penalty saved before Jack Langston’s 63rd minute goal won the Third Round Qualifying tie for Step Four Chasetwon at the Scholars Ground.
And Rouslers boss Smith admits his side is lacking confidence after suffering a fourth defeat from their last five matches.
Smith said: “We’re suffering at the moment in almost every game for various reasons.
“We had an unbelievable chance in the first half, it was to score than to miss.
“We then get a great chance of a penalty and I feel for Charlie, it’s a lonely place as a striker when you’re missing chances, we’ll get around him because he’s a talented boy.
“The penalty miss gives them a lift, they have a spell for 10 minutes and they score from their first shot on target.
“It’s tough for those boys at the moment, confidence is down by their knees, we’ve got an Achilles heel in both boxes and concentration levels.
“We’ve got to dust ourselves down again, it’s all we can do and look to build back into league action.”
Sporting twice went close in the first half as Chasetown goalkeeper Curtis Pond denied Wragg before the latter failed to hit the target soon after with the home keeper on the floor.
The Rouslers won a penalty on 56 minutes after Pond fouled Harry Crook in the box only for the Chasetown stopper to keep out Wragg’s tame spot kick with his legs.
And the home side made Sporting pay for that missed chance just past the hour mark when Langston found the net via the aid of the post to put the Northern Premier League West Division side ahead.
Sporting, who play one level above Chasetown, almost drew level only for Pond to tip substitute Kieran Cook’s effort over the crossbar.
Chasetown missed a penalty of their own deep into injury time after Charlie Price fouled Joe Thompson in the box only for the latter to shoot wide from the spot.
Bromsgrove travel to Banbury United on Saturday, October 12 with kick-off at 3pm at the Banbury Plant Hire Community Stadium.
