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Binfield FC joint managers Carl Withers and Jamie McClurg were full of pride after their team were beaten after a valiant effort in a tremendous FA Vase final against Warrington Rylands.
Moles striker Liam Ferdinand struck twice but Elliott Nevitt took the match ball with a hat-trick as Binfield were edged out 3-2 by their opponents.
“There is a lot of disappointment right now but I can’t give the lads any more credit,” said Withers.
“The desire to not give up. They kept going until the bitter end.
“Sadly today wasn’t our today. We congratulate Rylands. They’re a lovely group and fully deserved it.
“Our boys have done it the hard way. The seven weeks we have had have been testing for us, but sadly it wasn’t our day.”
McClurg added: “We got ourselves back in it at 1-1 but to quote an old football saying, you are always at your most vulnerable when you’ve just scored.
“Liam stretched out a leg, something that we haven’t seen him do in the last season it’s a big difference going in 2-1 down but sometimes people make decision with a rush of blood.
“It didn’t change our team talk at half-time too much, we knew we could have tidied it up. We showed character and got ourselves back in the game.
“Their keeper made a great save when Ollie snuck in at the back post.
“I’m absolutely gutted for the lads, they deserved something.”
The Moles fought their way back into the contest as both bosses praised their team’s resilience to keep fighting.
“I said it to the boys the way they reacted to situations, the resilience they’ve got is incredible,” Withers continued.
You saw in the second half we tried to tweak things.
“We didn’t play our best football in the first half but second half we dominated and the last 10 they were hanging on.
“We were looking for a break but their third goal came at a crucial time. I can’t speak highly enough of our lads.
“We will build from this. Weill regroup, these boys deserve everything, to see their family and friends meant everything.”
Despite the disappointment of Wembley defeat, the Moles can now look ahead to next season in step four after being promoted to the Isthmian League as part of the FA league restructure.
McClurg said: “These lads and the club deserve it. We have worked towards it.
“The league is a priority for any management. The vase and cup runs are for the players. We’re really proud of what we have done. It will hurt but we can jump straight into planning for next season.
“The lads and the staff at Binfield, they know it’s a lovely place to play. We are buzzing to get going again after a few days off to see the family. We are really looking forward to it.
“These past two weeks, it’s meant so much to the lads to have family and friends with them. We’ve traveled away and done it as a group. You saw at the end the love and passion and togetherness as a group.”
