Carlisle City conceded two goals in time added on to lose 2-1 at Sunderland RCA.
It was a disappointing result after the previous week’s brilliant 5-1 win at Whitley Bay.
Yet it was a game that manager Jim Nichols felt should have been won by the Cumbrians.
“To be honest they had caused us no real problems and although we weren’t near the way we had played at Whitley Bay I thought we had done enough to win it.
“We had taken the lead after 10 minutes and really looked comfortable throughout.
“I think the key moment came early in the second half when Keighran Kerr was through one on one with the keeper who brought him down.
“It was a stonewall penalty but the referee waved play on. A second goal then would have changed things.
“As it was they got a corner in the 92nd minute. We had dealt with them comfortably up to then but this one deflected off one of our defender’s heads, onto a team-mates back and dropped for their guy to put in.
“It was as if we couldn’t believe it because they got in again in the 95th minute for the winner.”
Jordan Palmer, last season’s top goal-scorer who is back at City from Workington Reds, had given City the lead after 10 minutes which they held easily for 82 minutes.
On Saturday City are at home to West Auckland in a game Nichols believes his side need to make amends for a poor performance at their place earlier in the season.
