Manager Paul Doswell's honest assessment on Hawks' shock FA Cup defeat at Marine FC

There can’t have been many neutrals watching on BT Sport who thought Hawks would have deserved to progress had the tie gone to the lottery of a penalty shoot-out.

Marine - 41 places lower than Hawks in the pyramid - had created many uncomfortable moments for their visitors prior to skipper Niall Cummins closing his eyes and heading the only goal in the 119th minute.

Had Ross Worner not produced two fine saves in the second half, Hawks would have embarrassed inside 90 minutes and not, as it turned out, in 120.

As a result, Marine became only the second club from the eighth tier of English football to progress to the third round, after Chasetown in 2007/08.

That was the season Hawks reached the fourth round, and many would have expected them to make the third round this season after being drawn against a Marine side from the Northern Premier League North West - the same level as Moneyfields.

But Hawks could have few complaints about the result, and Doswell was right to admit: ‘The better team won on the day.

‘They were sharper on the ball than us and they were probably hungrier for it throughout the whole game.’

Indeed they were, and Marine’s display was even more remarkable given they hadn’t played since beating four divisions higher Colchester in the first round three weeks earlier.

Doswell admitted the 88th minute dismissal of skipper Anthony Straker - for a second bookable offence - was ‘a killer’.

But Hawks recovered well and without creating too much of their own in the extra half-hour, at least ensured Marine didn’t look like scoring either - prior to the dramatic finale

‘Credit to the 10 lads in extra time, I thought that was our best spell of the game,’ said Doswell.

‘Marine didn’t really create any chances then until right at the end - we seem to have weathered the storm - but the goal was no more than they deserved.

‘I feel sorry for Ross Worner, he was outstanding today with three or four great saves.

‘With his record of saving penalties, we were confident of going through if we could take it to a shoot-out.’

Doswell had done his homework on Marine; he knew their front three - the pacy Neil Kenghi and current Welsh under-21 international Mo Touray, along with Cummins - offered width, creativity and goals.

‘Kenghi and Touray were very good, they brought an energy and an enthusiasm - and on that basis they probably deserved it,’ said Doswell.

‘The quality wasn’t really there for us, it was very difficult - I don’t think it would have made great tv viewing.’

Doswell said he didn’t want to give ‘an excuse-laden interview’ but revealed post-match preparations had been hit by injuries and illness.

Joe Iaciofano didn’t train all week due to a groin injury, hence the decision to start with Tommy Wright up front on his own.

Three players - defender Craig Robson and midfielders Billy Clifford and Theo Widdrington - all passed Saturday morning fitness tests. But Robson and Clifford looked off the pace and were withdrawn in the second half while Widdrington, who came on for Clifford, was himself replaced by George Mclennan at the start of extra time.

To add to Hawks’ woes, centre half Sam Magri had been unwell on Saturday during the day and again through the night.

‘He was short of liquids,’ reported Doswell. ‘That’s why he was suffering from cramp in the second half.’

The manager - who was also without the cup tied Danny Kedwell and the suspended Godfrey Poku - added: ‘There’s not much you can say to the players at the moment - emotions are very raw.

‘It is a massive disappointment, of course it is.

‘This was a great chance for the players to get through to the third round, but they didn’t take it. They should be massively disappointed.’