Newcastle Benfield assistant manager Ray Fuller reflects on Northumberland Senior Cup semi final defeat to Whitley Bay

The Lions’ assistant manager was disappointed to see his side bow out in the late stages of the competition, as Alfie Livermore’s 51st minute goal knocked them out of the competition.

Newcastle Benfield assistant manager Ray Fuller reflected on the match: “It’s a tough one isn’t it, it’s a semi final and it’s a big game for the club and for the players.

“Being honest, we probably didn’t create enough for us to win the game, but I don’t think we deserved to lose it either. If the game had gone to penalties, it would’ve been a fair result, before letting the penalties decide it, but it wasn’t to be.”

Season as a whole: 

“In the spur of the moment now before I go and reflect on it properly, we haven’t been nowhere near good enough over the course of the season. We set really good standards last season, unfortunately for this season for whatever reason, we haven’t reached those standards. 

“There’s been games where I’ve spoke to you lads, where we don’t know what we’re going to get. Easington and Whitley Bay away were some of our worst performances, but on reflection we just haven’t been consistent enough this season.”

Looking ahead to next season:

“I think at the moment I feel a little down and unsure, but we will get over that. We’ve already spoke about what we want to do next season and who we want to bring in, to help the group to get better. 

“We do feel confident though, as a management group I think we can get it right. There’s one or two players coming back, who’ve been missing for big parts of the season, who were important for us last season. So hopefully we can get them back injury free and work free for next year.”