Wilkin left to reflect on what might have been

Wilkin saw the holders create enough opportunities to be out of sight in Saturday’s Buildbase FA Trophy quarter-final tie with Leton Orient at St James Park. But it’s the Londoners who claimed their place in the last four in which they will face AFC Telford United who Saints comfortably beat in Vanarama National League North earlier this month.

Wilkin said: “I can’t help but feel this is one that got away from us. We let them off the hook because we had enough opportunities to have won the game. But you have to take those chances and those moments can come back to haunt you which has been the case.

“We didn’t deserve to get beaten but we just haven’t been sharp enough in front of goal. The game was there for the taking and we’ve pased up chances so we’ve only got ourselves to blame.

“To be only 1-0 up at halftime after all the chances we had was disappointing and for 20 minutes of the second half we should have put the game to bed. We played with a real purpose in the first half and by and large, our players have done well except in front of goal.

“Matt Lowe did fantastic to win the ball so high up the pitch for our goal but we’ve had chances after that and at 1-0 you know Orient are still in it. I thought we had put that behind us this season but those moments came back to haunt us again.”