John Gregory: ‘Going out of the FA Cup hurts me very badly’

Dean Saunders has replaced John Gregory as Crawley Town manager PHOTO: - Mandatory by-line: Harry Trump/Pinnacle - Photo Agency Ltd

Any Crawley Town fans expecting another extended FA Cup run were brought down to Earth suddenly on Saturday by a 1-0 defeat in the First Round by another team well-known for giant-killing, Yeovil Town.

John Gregory presided over a miserable exit at the first hurdle from the competition which with QPR he reached the final of as a player and with Aston Villa as a manager.

Gregory said admitted going out so soon hurt him badly and accused some of his players as playing without passion.

He said: “We made one mistake, an absolute howler which cost us the game coming from a player who you don’t expect to make a mistake (Joe Walsh).

Dejection for Crawley Town's Lanre Oyebanjo PHOTO: - Mandatory by-line: Harry Trump/Pinnacle - Photo Agency Ltd Tel: +44(0)1363 881025 - Mobile:0797 1270 681 - VAT Reg No: 183700120 - 08/11/2014 - FOOTBALL - The FA Cup First Round - Yeovil Town v Crawley Town - Huish Park, Yeovil, Somerset, England. SUS-140911-140209002

“It was a gift, a donation. Other than that Jamie Ashdown hasn’t had a lot to do. It had 0-0 all over it and a replay but we couldn’t get the goal back.

“It’s the end of the FA Cup for us this season which hurts very very badly.

“There was too much hope and there weren’t enough ruthless people who play with 100 percent passion.”

Gregory warned: “It’s been the story of the season for many, many weeks. We need to wake up very, very quickly. I can’t wait for Izale to get us a goal.