Chris Kinnear believes a ‘perfect storm’ surrounding Alan Pardew’s appointment as Crystal Palace boss contributed to Dover’s meek FA Cup defeat at Crabble on Sunday.

The Whites manager admitted to disappointment that his side failed to hit the heights of their 16-match unbeaten run which preceded the Third Round tie but urged his players to ‘push on’ for the rest of the campaign.

Kinnear said: “I’m disappointed in one respect, but in the cold light of day we were pleased to be in the Third Round of the FA Cup.

“As I said to the lads, they’re sitting there with their heads down, but they have achieved a lot. All their mates and anyone at our level would love to have been out there playing in that.

“We were caught really in the perfect storm. The new manager’s come in, they’ve brought a few fresh faces in - that was like a Premier League side. Four weeks ago they beat Liverpool with much the same side. They didn’t take liberties with us.”

Scott Dann capitalised on Palace’s fast start with the opening goal after 10 minutes and from that point, the Eagles looked in complete control.

Kinnear admitted: “We started really nervous and they really went for us didn’t they. When a new manager comes in they have got something to prove, and it’s the transfer window now, (Alan Pardew) can move one or two out and obviously a few of them want to stay.

“It was a perfect storm for us.”

He added: “It’s disappointing but life’s about disappointment, we have just got to move on. We’ve come a long way in the two years that I have been here.

“How can you be disappointed with the players with what they’ve achieved? We’re in the Third Round and four points away from the playoffs (in Vanarama Conference).

“I am disappointed in that we didn’t play as well as we have done but, realistically, they are a massive club.

“We’ve got to push on from here - if there’s one disappointment in 17 games that’s not bad going.”

Kinnear also paid tribute to the sell-out crowd of 5,645 which packed into Crabble, adding: “Their support was great, our support was magnificent, there were people hanging out of trees.”