Thursday Mar 06 2008 11:48
Morecambe manager Sammy McIlroy was quick to praise his players in the wake of their failure to reach the Johnstone's Paint Trophy Final at Wembley.
After winning promotion to League Two at Wembley last season, McIlroy was hoping for a second trip to the capital, only for the Shrimps to lose 1-0 on aggregate to Grimsby Town after a goalless draw in the second leg of the northern final at Blundell Park.
McIlroy said after his side's exit: "I can't fault my players. They gave it their all but it wasn't to be for us.
"We didn't lose this tie at Grimsby, we lost it last week at Christie Park. We should have been at least four goals to the good ahead of the second leg.
"It's been a magnificent season for us to get to this final and get this far. You want to go all the way to Wembley, but I don't think it was there for us.
"At Christie Park we battered Grimsby but we came here a goal down. My lads gave us everything, though, I couldn't ask for more."
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