Carlisle City slumped to a 3-0 home defeat against bottom side Thornaby in their Northern League clash at Gillford Park.
Manager Jim Nichols didn’t mince words afterwards – “we got absolutely what we deserved” – was his take on the performance.
“We weren’t happy and told them so afterwards. We have to be a lot better than that if we want to win football matches.
“Two of their goals came from free kicks when people weren’t doing their jobs.
“We had a couple kicked off the line and their keeper made a couple of decent saves but generally we just huffed and puffed and didn’t deserve anything.
“I suppose for 25 minutes in the second half we played 3-3-4 but still couldn’t get a breakthrough,” he said.
Yet things might have been different if a fourth minute strike from Jordan Palmer had been allowed to stand.
“It was a really well-taken goal but he was given off-side. I’ve watched it back on video since and he was three or four yards on-side so that was hugely disappointing.
“The only positive thing is we are at home ton Tuesday to West Auckland so the players have a chance right away to put things right and make up for this one,” added Nichols.
Thornaby had taken the lead on 16 minutes through Carl Williams and Jassim Alali made it 2-0 five minutes later.
The third, clinching goal came from Joseph Pickett on 79 minutes.
Tuesday’s visitors West Auckland are ninth, four points better than City and three places above them in the Division One table.
On Saturday they crashed 4-0 at title-chasing Ashington.
