Sum up how it feels for that to have happened again 

“I felt we did enough to have won the game and so it’s tough to take. 

“I could see the disappointment in the dressing room after conceding a late goal, and the number of times that has happened is disappointing. 

“Basford will be delighted to have come back from 2-0 down and taken a point, and who can blame them?” 

What do you say to the players in those circumstances? 

“I told them their performance was really good. 

“There is plenty to take into account; we played with virtually 10 men on Tuesday and I thought we looked fatigued towards the end of the game. 

“However it’s important these lads keep their heads up. 

“They’ve worked incredibly hard again and deserve credit for the way they competed with a club that has spent a lot more money than we can.” 

How happy were you with how Witton started the game? 

“It was great. 

“Rob won the initial header before reacting to finish well for the first goal and the second is a fantastic strike from Will. 

“Those ones either fly out of the ground or find the top corner don’t they? 

“To be fair to Will, he’s proven in the past he can strike the ball well with either foot.” 

And tactically in the first-half you had the measure of Basford too 

“We had a good shape without the ball. 

“They’ve changed their formation recently and started to play with three central defenders. 

“It’s impossible to press high up the field against a side that lines up like that and so we asked Rob and Will to work on stopping the ball being played into their midfielders. 

“It worked effectively and it forced them to play longer passes that we mopped up.” 

That was Billy Smart at his best wasn’t it? 

“His performance was excellent. 

“He controlled the midfield and so many parts of his game came together. 

“He won second-balls, won headers, drove us forward when he took possession and passed well.” 

Could you have done more to prevent Basford from scoring that late equaliser? 

“I think so. 

“Watson has run in behind us too easily; if somebody competes for the first header, which I think River Humphreys did, then we have to cover in case he doesn’t win the ball. 

“We didn’t, and he’s free then to score with what was a great strike.” 

On a more positive note, what were you most pleased with? 

“The fact that we opened them up often with clever movement and decent play in the final third. 

“That part of our game was very good and the only criticism I’d have is we just lacked that bit of care or quality with the final pass or cross. 

“Every time we went deep into their half, particularly during a spell in the second-half, I thought we caused their defence problems. 

“It felt as if their goalkeeper was busier than ours, and it was a huge moment in the game when he pulled off a great save to deny Lewis Doyle.” 

As a player, are you more likely to remember that or will conceding late weigh heavier on your mind? 

“As a player, you want the next game to come around quickly. 

“But as their manager, I’m happy not to have a midweek fixture so that they can rest and those with injuries have more time to recover. 

“I think they’re bright enough to sit back in a day or so and think: ‘We deserved a bit more from that game.’ 

“They shouldn’t forget the display and the work-rate they put into it.”