Chester manager Calum McIntyre was disappointed with the manner of his side’s exit from the FA Cup as the non-league side went down 3-0 at League Two Cambridge.
Roared on by more than 1,200 traveling fans, National League North Chester were up against it from the 10th minute when Kylian Kouassi netted from close range. Kouassi added a second before James Brophy made it 3-0 and wrapped the game up for the U’s before half-time.
McIntyre said: “There are ways to lose football matches, and feeling like you’re out of the tie by half-time is not the way to do it. I apologise to our supporters who backed us in unbelievable numbers because we didn’t give them the cup tie they hoped for.
“It was always going to be difficult against an established football league side, but we didn’t give a good account of ourselves and I’m disappointed with the nature of the goals we conceded. We did a lot of prep work on Cambridge and knew what type of test it would be, and then we let them score off a set piece. It’s frustrating because then you have to chase the game.”
Kouassi’s first was a close-range tap-in, before he added a second with a powerful angled shot in the 35th minute, then set up Brophy for the third in first-half stoppage time.
Chester’s best effort came after the break from Jack Bainbridge, whose shot was tipped over the bar by U’s keeper Jake Eastwood.
Cambridge manager Neil Harris said: “The biggest compliment I can pay my players is that it was a very professional performance. These kind of games against an underdog are not easy and we showed character in abundance. We killed the game in the first half.
“I love the FA Cup, it’s the best club competition in the world and I think the players fed off my excitement today.”
