Aldershot manager Gary Waddock thought his side could have drawn their FA Cup first round match at the Abbey Stadium on Saturday, but he was generous in defeat.

The Shots boss had seen Johnny Dixon put his side ahead against the run of play after half an hour, but a header from Lee Boylan on 62 and Leo Fortune-West's goal five minutes from time ensured that it would be the U's in Sunday's draw for the second round.

Afterwards Waddock commented, "We don't feel that this is a match we should have lost. As I said on our last visit here, Cambridge are a good side and they put us under pressure but we should have dealt with that and taken at least a draw out of the game.

"You expect to be put under the cosh for parts of the game coming to a place like this and that's what happened early on, then we caught them with a good well taken goal on the break. But we weren't at our best today and although Cambridge played well and put us under pressure, we should have held out for at least a draw.

"We spoke at half time about the amount of crosses that Cambridge were getting into the box and how in the first half Lee Boylan was finding space in our box. Space doesn't score goals and we said to our defenders that you have to pick up people in the box. In the second half he did exactly the same thing but this time he got on the end of one, which is something we have to be disappointed with."

Goalkeeper Nikki Bull kept United at bay almost single-handedly throughout the game but finally conceded when coming to meet Stephen Reed's free kick and failing to get there in a crowded area, the ball dropping for Fortune-West to roll home.

"I'd like to have a look at the winner again because the when the ball has come into the box there were a lot of bodies in there," said Waddock.

"Nikki Bull came for it and ended with a massive swollen lip for his efforts after taking an elbow, but it's one of those things - sometimes you get decisions, sometimes you don't. Joel Grant could well have levelled it in the final minute and nine times out of ten he would, but that's how this game went."

Shots midfielder Scott Davies was dismissed in stoppage time for bringing down Courtney Pitt as the midfielder held the ball in the corner, then throwing the ball at him, and Waddock admitted, "His sending off was a silly thing to do and he's held his hands up and apologised, but I will have a word with him on Monday morning.

"It was touch and go with a lot of players today with injury and illness but we made some decisions out on the pitch that have cost us being in the draw for the next round. The late goal is a cruel way to go out of the cup, it's not nice and it's not a feeling we like.

He concluded, "The F.A. Cup is a fantastic competition for clubs like us and Cambridge. We would love to be in the next round but we wish Cambridge well in round two whilst we have to concentrate on our league campaign. We have a young group of players and they'll learn a lot from today.

"Cambridge will also learn from today and I fully expect them to be right at the top of the league come the end of the season."

[Match report] [Fixture list] [League table]

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