Hakan Hayrettin described Maidstone’s performance in their FA Cup exit at Needham Market as “absolutely disgraceful” and said fans deserved their money back.

He challenged his players to reimburse away supporters following yesterday’s 1-0 defeat as United missed out on a place in the First Round for the third successive season.

The Marketmen play two levels below Hayrettin’s National League side in Southern Premier Central.

An upset was there for the taking and they delivered, courtesy of Luke Ingram’s ninth-minute goal, with Maidstone rarely looking like getting back into the tie.

“We didn’t do anything to hurt them,” said Hayrettin.

“We hit the post or the crossbar (from a Regan Booty free-kick) but we had three shots in the whole game.

“The instruction was start quick, start early.

“I can’t defend that. Usually I can come out here and defend a lot of things but I can’t defend that. That was woeful.

“When we lose I’ll give you an honest assessment.

“We were absolutely disgraceful today, and I mean that, and the supporters deserve better.

“Usually I can come out here and say the truth and say what I think because they’ve given it a go but we didn’t really give it a go today.”

Not for the first time this season, there was a lengthy discussion in the dressing room as Hayrettin delivered a few home truths.

He said the defeat was “down to me” but in terms of preparation there was little else he could do.

There must have been 200-or-so Stones fans in Suffolk and the manager feels they deserve their money back.

He said: “We prepared the players correctly, we did everything the right way, we told them what to expect and that’s the response we got.

“They’re distraught because they’ve let me down.

• Report: Needham Market 1-0 Maidstone United

“You should have thought about that when I was telling you what was going to happen.

“Would you have paid money to come and see that? Our supporters, rain, snow, sleet, they come and they cheer their team on in their hundreds wherever we go.

“They didn’t deserve that today. We were nowhere near good enough, nowhere near good enough.

“Our supporters didn't deserve that. In fact, our players should club together and pay them their entrance money after that today. That’s what I think.”

Maidstone ended a run of four league defeats with Roarie Deacon’s last-minute equaliser against FC Halifax last weekend.

Hayrettin expected to build on that against a Needham side who are eighth in their league, albeit with games in hand following their FA Cup exploits.

But it didn’t happen and it’s the hosts who will be in Monday's televised First-Round draw.

“That group today wasn’t the same group that played against Halifax,” said Hayrettin. “It’s like a completely different group. You’ve got to continue where you left off.

“The pleasing thing for me against Halifax is we continued to keep driving forward and we were better than them in the second half, and we got our reward.

“Today we had three shots. We were camped in their half in the second half but what did we do to win the game? Nothing.

“Needham Market aren’t in that great form, they’re not top of their league, are they?

“They’ve won a few but we shouldn’t be coming here and playing like that.

“We’ve at least got to do better in front of goal. I’m too honest sometimes but I’m telling you how it is.”