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There was pride in defeat for manager Steve Watt following Hythe’s FA Trophy exit.
The Cannons’ record-breaking run ended in the last 32 as Chorley came from a goal down to win 2-1 at Reachfields.
Watt’s Isthmian South East underdogs put in a terrific shift against a side 52 places above them in the non-league pyramid.
They fell just short against the National League North visitors but couldn’t have given any more for the cause in front of a big home crowd of 730.
“It’s something I demand from my players,” said Watt.
“if you’re not going to work hard, you’re not going to play for me.
“You can’t give anything less than 100% and you see that in the players we’ve got out there.
“You’ve got the likes of Jake Embery, who ran tirelessly, Johan Caney-Bryan up front and Ethan Smith, who was touch and go before the game and unfortunately we had to bring him off.
“Every player on that pitch gave everything they’ve got for me and that’s what I said to them before the game - please, if we lose today, let Chorley know they’ve been in a game.
“And, to be fair to them, they have. I couldn’t be more proud of the boys.”
Jake Embery pounced for the opener - his eighth goal of the season - after good work down the left by man-of-the-match Aaron Barnes.
Jack Hazlehurst’s equaliser, a minute before half-time, proved a key moment, and Jack Sampson met a free-kick for the winner.
“I think the goal before half-time changes their mentality and their feeling in the dressing room,” said Watt.
“I felt really comfortable before that.
“I felt we nullified all their threats, we restricted them to very little - one free header in the first half.
“I think that’s the only save Steve Phillips made in 90 minutes.
“You just had a feeling that a set-piece would play a big part in it, and it did.
“I said that to the players at training on Thursday.
“I felt the game would be decided by a set-piece, although it looked a soft free-kick to me.”
Watt wants Hythe to use their FA Trophy exploits as a springboard for another run to the Isthmian South East play-offs.
Last season’s play-off finalists are playing catch-up in the league, with multiple games in hand on the sides above them.
There’s plenty of midweek matches to fit in, including a trip to Lancing on Tuesday.
But Watt feels the performance against free-scoring Chorley, who are fourth in National League North, proves they needn’t fear anyone.
He said: “The boys have shown they can mix it with teams two levels above.
“We’ve spoken about that in the dressing room.
“We’ve said be disappointed you’ve lost but you’ve got to take a great deal of confidence from that game and the run you’ve been on.
“They’re a side that are scoring a lot of goals in their league, causing teams lots of problems and I think we more than matched them. On another day, I think we win the game.”
