DEJECTED Steve Claridge says Salisbury’s chances of a run in the FA Cup were scuppered by “two silly goals”.

The Whites boss saw his side bow out of the competition on home soil after a 2-1 defeat to Gloucester City in the second qualifying round.

Chaotic defending allowed the Tigers, who are two leagues above Whites in National North, to strike first after 120 seconds. Chris Knowles pounced on a cross and unleashed a half volley into the net.

Sam Roberts restored parity on the half hour mark with a curling strike.

But with eight minutes remaining, visitors’ frontman Luke Hopper profited from Nathan Ball’s indecisiveness with the winning strike.

“We should not have lost should we? The keeper made a mistake and we deserved to win the game,” rued Claridge.

“We gave away two silly goals, it has happened all season and it has happened again.

“They are two leagues above us and you wouldn’t know it watching the two teams.

“We were far better than they were in the first half, and it was an equal second half, we both had a shot on goal.”

Saturday’s defeat was the second match in succession where goalkeeping and defending errors threw away a winning or drawable result.

But Claridge remained positive about the performance from his players, saying that, while the mistakes have been “a struggle all season”, it was the best Salisbury have played all campaign.

He added: “I cannot ask any more from the team, I am fantastically happy with the way the guys played.

“If you take the result away, that is the best we have played all season.

“They didn’t deserve to lose, I didn’t deserve it, no-one in Salisbury deserved it.”

“I think we are a side that can do very well, we play a good style of football.

“What I do have an issue with is how we are losing to teams who are no better than us.”

Opposite number Tim Harris, a well known figure in the non-league scene, admitted Whites deserved a replay.

He told JournalSport: “I am delighted with the result, Salisbury played really well.

“We got an early goal, but fair play to Steve and Mick, they will be extremely disappointed and probably deserved a draw in all fairness.”

Whites are back in league action on Saturday with the trip to lowly Yate Town (3pm).