Latics boss Paul Dickov was obviously distressed that his team failed to see off Chesterfield on Monday night and thus suffer the heartbreak of missing out on what would have been a memorable trip to Wembley for the players and the fans. Try as they may, they suffered a 1-0 home defeat and lost 3-1 on aggregate, they could not break down the Spireites defence and once again failed to find the net. It is a worrying problem for the boss as his team is playing attractive stuff but, after all the possession and huffing and puffing, they just can't put the ball away when it is needed.
Dickov said, “Obviously it is disappointing to go out at this stage. It was a case of ‘everything but’ in the end, having missed so many chances not just in this game but also in the first leg at Chesterfield. I am disappointed for the players, the chairman, the fans and everyone connected with the club. The boys gave their all throughout the game, but it did not happen and we have to deal with that. It hurts at the moment, but we need to move past that quickly and focus on what comes next, which is the league.”
“It should not be hard for the players to pick themselves up because at the end of the day they are professional footballers and this is what they do. They are paid to deal with these situations. I wish I knew why we are missing so many chances at the moment, particularly over the two legs against Chesterfield. The only answer is to work hard on the training ground and on match day.”