NANTWICH TOWN boss Phil Parkinson says his side will take a lot from their FA Trophy stalemate at Bradford Park Avenue on Wednesday night.
The Evo-Stik NPL Premier high-flyers drew 1-1 at the National League North side and will host the replay next Tuesday. The winner will host Stourbridge in the last 16.
Parkinson was without a number of players and first team coach Danny Griggs had to take a place on the bench. Despite that, the boss was delighted with his side's performance and thought they could, and maybe should, have won the tie on the night.
“It was a big, big ask for us as a squad and I feel that we've been tested to our limits and came up trumps,” he said.
“There's been other performances in the season where you're always going to look at yourselves and think we weren't quite at it but I thought the players gave me everything.
“In terms of attitude, mentally and physically, they were superb and they had to be because they were playing a very good Bradford Park Avenue outfit who are doing well in their league as well so we've got to take a lot from this.”
“I'm disappointed we didn't get the win, I thought we did enough to win the game but they're a very good team and we didn't come here thinking it was going to be an easy game and we were just going to come here and beat them.
“What a performance from the players, coming a long way to Bradford midweek which is always a big, big ask for Non-League players – getting out of work at half three is very difficult to do and then travelling two hours in the week.
“But I thought my players were the better team on the night and deserved to get the draw bare minimum. Every week my players turn out great performances with real true grit and determination.”
The replay will have to go to the back of the mind for the Dabbers, however, with a big league clash against Blyth Spartans on Saturday.
It'll be fourth versus top at the Weaver Stadium and Parkinson is hoping his charges will have recovered from their midweek performance
He said: “It's a huge game. We'll prepare correctly, we'll just fine tune one or two things, and hopefully be ready for Blyth.
“The game will have taken a lot out of my players and recovery is massive now, its about them being that little bit professional and making sure they look after themselves, that will be the key.”
*Nantwich v Blyth Sprtans is our Evo-Stik NPL Premier star game on Sunday – pick up the paper for a bumper match report and pictures!
