WORCESTER City manager Richard Dryden believes his side did enough to earn a replay against Tamworth.

Michael Wylde headed the decisive goal five minutes past the hour at St George’s Lane as City fell at the first hurdle in the FA Cup for the second successive season.

But Dryden thought his players gave a good account of themselves against his former club and deserved the chance to do it all again at The Lamb.

He said: “If you had analysed it at half-time it looked as if it was going to be a one-goal game.

“The midfields cancelled each other out and both defences played well and it was always going to be one goal that won it.

“We huffed and puffed, I thought we had a lot of possession and put a lot of balls in the box in the last five or 10 minutes but we just couldn’t break them down.

“I think if you came to watch this as a neutral you’d think everyone deserved a replay.

“Hand on heart, I don’t think we deserved to win it but I don’t think they deserv-ed to win it either. It was just one of those games when you had to grind a result out and get to a replay.

“Chances were at a premium. We had a lot of possession, they defended deep and defended well, like we had to.

“We turned off once when Danny McDonnell had to make a good save and I think that was about it as far as clear-cut chances went.

“Sometimes you have got to hold your hand up and say Tamworth are not a bad side and they defended really well, they’ve got good players and we’ve pushed them to the limit.”

He added: “I’m not going to say we can concentrate on the league now, I’d rather be where we are in the league and still in the FA Cup.

“It’s my job to win as many games as I can at the club, whether it be in the cup or league.

“I am always disappointed but I realise how big a game it was and how big financially the FA Cup can be, having been at Tamworth for three great cup runs.”

City now have to put this result behind them and look to bounce back when AFC Wimbledon visit in Blue Square South on Saturday.

Dryden said: “Now we have to kick on and try and get over this.

“It would have been great if we had got a bit of money in for the club and gone on a cup run, because everyone likes a little cup run.

“It’s not going to happen this year in the FA Cup so let’s get on with the league next Saturday and wait for the FA Trophy to come along.”

Former Coventry striker Avun Jephcott signed for the club on Friday and made his debut as an 87th-minute substitute for Rob Davies.

The City boss said: “He hasn’t come in for the money, he’s come in to try and push himself into the side and hopefully he will be an asset.

“I’m not looking to bring in any more players now. We’ve been really careful in what we’ve spent and I think we’ve got a decent squad.”