Martin Coyne said he “couldn’t be any prouder” of his Hyde United team after they bowed out of the FA Cup at Tamworth on Saturday.
The Tigers went into the 4th Qualifying Round tie on the back of five wins and as many clean sheets in six games, but ran into a superbly organised home team who are riding high in the National League.
Hyde were on the back foot from the off, with kinetic winger Beck-Ray Enoru at the root of their problems.
Tamworth were happy to give him the ball at every opportunity with captain Ben Milnes operating the supply line and mopping up any loose second balls in the centre of the park.
Yusuf Mersin was by far the busier of the goalkeepers, with full-backs Luke Fairlamb and Kwaku Donkor – Mersin’s teammate when he was on loan at Mickleover last season – flinging in crosses on the overlap.
The Hyde defence held firm and largely restricted Tamworth to wayward efforts from distance before cleaving a pathway into the match.
Captain Jack Redshaw dragged a couple of ranged efforts wide, while Antoine Makoli’s thunderous effort from the edge of the box skittled a pair of spectators behind Jas Singh’s goal.
The 235 travelling fans created a cacophony as the Tigers finished the half on top, but it was a rejuvenated Tamworth who took control after the break.
Will Hall and Taylor McMahon soaked up attack after attack in the heart of Hyde’s defence until they were finally breached 18 minutes into the second half.
Fairlamb whipped in a devilish ball from the left flank, with Milnes timing his run from deep to perfection and heading in for the decisive goal despite the brave efforts of Lewis Thompson, who needed stitches in a headwound picked up mid-flight.
Tamworth settled into a comfortable rhythm as Hyde poked in vain for openings.
Haydn Hollis and Kennedy Digie stifled threats almost before they materialised, and even the physical presence of substitute Nyal Bell couldn’t fluster the impervious centre back partnership as the home team saw out 8 minutes of stoppage time.
“I’m super proud,” Tigers boss Martin Coyne said. “For 60 minutes you wouldn’t have known there was a two-league gap and you wouldn’t have been surprised if we’d have gone in one-nil up.
“We scrapped, we battled, but I think they were a bit fitter towards the end and we were chasing the game.
“Gaps appeared, they could’ve countered, but we dealt with it. We’ve tried to throw the kitchen sink at it going three, then four up top, but it wasn’t to be.”
