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Ebbsfleet manager Dennis Kutrieb admitted his team needed to be more ruthless after their FA Cup exit to Fleetwood.
Leading scorer Dominic Poleon missed a couple of golden opportunities in the first half and substitute Franklin Domi had an effort cleared off the line with virtually the last kick of the game.
But an error from Christian N’Guessan let in the visitors, who scored with their only shot on target in the 90 minutes through Gerard Garner to book Fleetwood’s place in the Third Round.
“I’m not really proud as we lost the game,” said Kutrieb. “I think the players should be proud as they gave it a good go. Obviously one mistake punished us but we had the better chances and we deserved to get something out of the game but you don’t always get what you deserve.
“The players should be proud of themselves but for me as a person I can’t be proud if I get a defeat, it’s not possible. Maybe in a few weeks, I’ll be proud but we’ll see.
“You need to be ruthless if you play against League 1 opposition. If you don’t take your chances then you can’t win games in general, but especially on this occasion.
“In the first half we had three good chances and in the second half with the last kick of the game. It was a clear penalty, I don’t know how he can’t see it and if that is a natural hand position then I’m not sure what is unnatural. It would have been maybe a soft penalty but if the arm is there, for me, it’s a clear penalty.
“We can’t blame that as we had enough chances to score goals and if you don’t take them then you go out of the cup.”
Kutrieb was pleased that Ebbsfleet stuck to their style of play.
The Fleet continued to pass the ball neatly and out from the back, even if the press of League 1 opponents with that little bit quicker and higher up than in National League South.
“That’s what we wanted to do, that was the gameplan and we executed it very well, especially in the first half,” reflected the Fleet boss.
“We had so many opportunities and we got Toby Edser alone on the edge of the box when he might have got a shot on target and scored from there.
“You could see after they scored the goal that they had a bit more confidence and we were more tired but that’s expected against a League 1 side as you have to work so hard, especially off the ball.
“Everything worked really well and how we wanted it to, apart from being ruthless and taking your chances in front of goal.
“You can’t make mistakes. I said it in an interview on Friday afternoon, if you make easy mistakes then you get punished against good teams and that’s what they’ve done.
“We did one big mistake where they scored their goal, apart from that they didn’t have many chances. The luck was not on our side but we can’t change it, the game has gone and we need to be prepared for the league games.”
Fleet captain Chris Solly came off injured early in the second half and while Haydn Hollis proved an able deputy in the middle of the back three, it was a big blow for the home side.
“Chris was injured in the first half, he wanted to carry on and then he slipped in the second half so it came back,” said Kutrieb. “He was quality, Haydn Hollis was very good too and we had a strong back three.
“It’s always a big blow if your captain has to leave the pitch but you can’t change it as that’s how football works and you have to get on with it.”
