Marine manager Neil Young paid tribute to his part-time players after they suffered a 5-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, bringing an end to their fairytale run in the FA Cup.
The eighth-tier club, who compete in the Northern Premier League North West Division, have not played a game since Boxing Day and as a member of a non-elite league, their games are currently postponed.
This meeting, between Marine and Premier League club Spurs, was a record-setting fixture with the biggest-ever gulf between teams in the FA Cup at this stage and the manager had full admiration for his side’s efforts – even if the coaching staff did end up only able to look on in admiring fashion with the resources available off the bench for the away side.
“Very proud of them. It was always going to be tough, you only have to look at the Tottenham side,” Young said.
“Jose Mourinho with the team he brought in showed us great respect. Our lads have won seven games to get here and for him to bring the team he did and hten still bring in Gareth Bale and [Sergio] Reguilon off the bench – in the end we were laughing at who was coming on!
They’ve showed us great respect, I can’t ask any more off our lads. We were a bit sloppy at times, probably could have got more tackles in but you’re playing against world-class footballers who make it look easy at times.
“We’re very proud of what we achieved.”
Jose Mourinho, meanwhile, spoke in similarly admiring tones about three of his own players, with Dele Alli impressing in a rare performance along with Gedson Fernandes and youngster Alfie Devine, who scored off the bench.
“I like[d the performances] very much. I think [Dele] and Gedson, they were two players who were responsible from minute 10 until minute 75. They were the ones that created. They were the ones with mobility, they were the ones that started that dynamic that created problems for them and goals for us.
“[Devine] is a kid with good potential that came to the club only this summer. He was lucky enough to have pre-season with us because we were short of players, so he had pre-season with us and played a few friendlies.
“He’s a kid that basically is a midfield player but with an instinct to appear in finishing zones and to score goals. We like him and of course for him today is a special day.”