'The basics went out the window' - Graham Couglan on Boston United's FA Cup defeat at Carlisle United
Frustrated Graham Coughlan is challenging his Boston United players to sharpen up defensively.
The Pilgrims exited the FA Cup after a 5-2 defeat at Carlisle United which saw them concede three poor goals inside the opening 16 minutes.
It left Coughlan disappointed at the way the goals had been conceded and demanding the players sort it out.
“The first 15 minutes was a disaster, it was awful,” said the Boston boss. “The basics went out the window and the lads looked shocked to pieces.
“I call it zombie moments, we shouldn't concede goals like that.
"You can do all the coaching and preparations in the world, but we looked frightened and shell-shocked in the first 10-15 minutes.
“The lads gave it a real good go after half-time, but we have to start asking ourselves questions at goals we are conceded and the ease we are conceding.
“That’s two games in a row that the goals conceded are kamikaze, they are ridiculous. The players have to sort that out or we will have to sort it out with new additions.”
Goals from David Ajiboye, Josh Grant and Luke Armstrong put the Cumbrians 3-0 up early on.
The Pilgrims steadied the ship and responded twice within four minutes after half-time through Kieren Donnelly and Lenell John-Lewis.
Connor Teale, Frankie Maguire and Matty Carson all went agonisingly close to an equaliser - but Chris Conn-Clarke scored a brace to seal the home side’s progress.
“It would have been nice to restore a bit of pride for the fans, but it just wasn’t to be,” added Coughlan.
“We had one or two opportunities to get back to 3-3. The keeper produced a wonderful save, but that is cup football and anything can happen.
“The players reacted in the second half and fair play to them for that.
"We needed a lot of factors to go out way today. We needed a bit of luck, we needed nine out of ten performances, we needed them to be off it. There were too many factors that didn’t fall our way.
“We were beaten by the better team. Carlisle were good and took their chances but I can't help feeling we helped them a little bit with the goals we gave them and the mistakes we made.”