Denmead boss Goddard piles the praise on his players after narrow Hampshire Premier League Cup semi-final loss

‘The players have given me everything,’ he declared after his side’s 1-0 loss at Locks Heath to the defending HPL champions.

‘They have been a credit to themselves, to Denmead, and to myself.

‘Every one of the Bush Hill team has commented on how well my lads played.

‘Hopefully that’s given us all confidence going forward.

‘I’m gutted we lost. I’m frustrated too because if we had taken the chances we had in the first 20 minutes, then who knows what would have happened?

‘But I’m not disappointed with the way we performed.’

Goddard said he hadn’t concentrated too much on Bush’s obvious strengths when compiling a game plan.

‘We know what they can bring to the table, and if we worried about them too much it could affect the way we played - and we didn’t want that,’ he stated.

‘The game plan was all about how we wanted to play.’

Goddard was adamant the free-kick that led to Bush’s winner on the stroke of half-time shouldn’t have been awarded.

Ditto the penalty award on 83 minutes when Dan Lucas was harshly penalised for a foul.

‘It wasn’t a foul, and the challenge was outside the box,’ said Goddard, though justice was done when Prad Bains saved Mark Barker’s spot-kick.

Bush have won the HPL twice in the last three seasons, and last year also won the Hampshire Intermediate Cup.

They are seeking promotion to the Wessex League, and in Barker possess one of the best players ever to appear in the HPL.

But they have never won the HPL Cup - indeed, this is their first final appearance.

‘I hope Bush go on and win it now,’ said Goddard. ‘That would be recognition for the game we have just given them.’

Bush will now play Infinity or Colden Common - who meet in the second semi at Locks Heath next Wednesday - in the final at Hythe & Dibden FC in May.