CHELMSFORD CITY manager Robbie Simpson has claimed his side were ‘the better team’ after falling to a penalty shootout loss against York City on Saturday.

Simpson’s side play their football in the Vanarama National League South, but matched York in work rate and with glimpses of quality in the Isuzu FA Trophy fourth round.

But a penalty save from Ethan Ross after the game ended 1-1 was enough for the Minstermen to progress, whilst Simpson could only watch on as his team bowed out of the trophy.

Nevertheless, Simpson remained upbeat after defeat to York.

“Amazing effort, I’m so proud of them.” Enthused Simpson. 

“I thought we were the better team. I thought we could have won the game and probably should have won the game. 

“In the first five minutes of that first half I thought we took a while to get up to speed, but the next ten minutes after that I thought we were really good. 

“For the remainder of the first half (being) against the wind, we were against it but I thought we played really well. 

“There’s obviously things we can do better in terms of their goal, allowing the quick switch of play or giving the ball away initially before allowing that quick switch of play and not stopping the cross and we’ve got to defend at the back post better. 

“Their goal was a real sickener, because I thought we were building our way really well into the game but it didn’t phase us. 

“It didn’t phase us on the pitch and we carried on and obviously we’ve scored a fortuitous goal. Sometimes when you commit to something like Eduino has committed to, things like that can happen.

"It can get a deflection and then go in or it can go straight in as it did, or the goalkeeper can spill it and one of our players can tap it in so it was really good commitment from Eduino on the cross that went in! 

“I thought with it being one-all at half-time we went in quite jubilant really, we really felt that they were there for the taking. We started the second half really well and I would say we’ve had three really good chances like Trotts (Liam Trotter) at the end there where’s gone clean through and he’s felt his quad, it’s just that little lacking in front of goal.

“(Callum) Jones has sort of dragged one a little bit, he’s made a good connection but he’s dragged one wide and then had a free header really, they’re the three I can just think of. 

“I thought we were the better team. I thought we were the more deserving over the ninety minutes and deserved to win, it was for us, and then penalties are penalties. 

Former Premier League striker Simeon Jackson was Chelmsford’s villain after the experienced talisman saw his overconfident penalty smothered by Ross.

“Me and Simeon spoke about it at breakfast this morning, about the penalty shootout and where he was going and what he was going to do. 

“I was confident in him, and he was confident in it as well. We practised them on Thursday, and he did the same but it wasn’t to be.

Chelmsford also handed a debut to Chelsea loanee Eddie Beach, who was making his first senior appearance: “I don’t remember him having to do much at all in the second half. I did want the final whistle to blow as they had built up a little bit of pressure at the end.

"I thought he did well, you could probably tell it was his first game in men’s football. He’s got all the attributes to be a very, very good goalkeeper.”