Eric Kinder spoke to us about the 3-0 Youth Alliance Cup defeat:

"We were poor today, we can't hide away from that.

We were second best all over the pitch, so we can have no complaints at all about the defeat. We were beaten by a team that was better on the day, so we have to accept it.

They passed the ball better than we did, they kept it better than we did, they pressed better than we did and they handled the conditions better. Every time we did get the ball we had two players on us, and we didn't return the favour when we had the chance. Unfortunately we were well and truly beaten by a team who played much better than we did.

We started poorly and we couldn't shake ourselves out of that. I haven't said this many times this season, but we didn't defend well at any stage of this game. I think we had one corner in the whole game, and I don't remember their keeper being tested at all. We might have had a few long range shots, but there was nothing to really get excited about.

I can see, from what happened today, how other managers have been feeling when we have gone somewhere and totally dominated the game, because we've had it done to us today. They didn't allow us to play, and it's usually us doing that to other teams.

Perhaps I have built this competition up a bit too much, I don't know, but it is disappointing to think that it's a competition that I believe we could have gone on to win.

I'm usually only disappointed when we lose a game that we should have done something about. I'm not too disappointed today because we were second best and we never looked like making an impact. It was one of those days when we were lucky to come second in a two-horse race, because we really were that poor.

All three of their goals came from poor defending. A long throw in came in for the first one and Tom Aldred allowed it to bounce. We then struggled to clear it and the ball was sent back in. They then had a lad, completely unmarked, who was able to head it in to the back of the net.

The second one was another ball in to the box, and Dan Wordsworth got caught between heading it and kicking it. It bobbled off him and their player had the easy job of slotting past Mitchell.

The third one was particularly disappointing because a long kick from the keeper was allowed to bounce, and it went over everyone's head, allowing their striker to nip in and score.

All three goals have come from mistakes through the centre of our defence, and we haven't seen that for a long, long time. They've been terrific all season for us, so I'm not sure where it has come from today. I'm sure they'll be terrific again for the rest of the season, because today was just one of those days. Unfortunately its come along in the quarter final of a cup competition. That's not like us either, because we usually pick ourselves up for these big games.

It just didn't feel right from the word go. I got bad vibes from them this morning because they just weren't acting like it was a match day at all. It definitely didn't feel like they were going in to a cup game.

I don't make excuses, because I think they are a sign of weakness, but I do think that we have lacked that big match build up for this one. With the other cup games, they've been played on decent grounds and the interest has built up in the run up to it. We've had the press, the cameras, all kinds of people following us, and the crowds were building up steadily. We had games in really good atmospheres, under floodlights, and there was a bit of a feel about them. With this one, we've come down to the Sheepmount on a Friday afternoon, and it just hasn't captured the imagination at all. I think that has reflected on the attitude that has been shown by the lads as well.

I still think that us and Wigan are the best two sides in the League, and they have got one over on us today. If we play like that against them when they come back in a few weeks time then we'll be looking up at them come the final day, it's as simple as that. That will be an interesting game, because I will want to see us give a much better account of ourselves. I want to see whether this was just an off day or whether they really are better than us.

I don't think they are, if I'm honest, but we have to prove it now. I think we've got players who are just as good in our side, but we'll see if they can lift themselves and make sure that they put this one right.

We didn't have Gary Madine because he is around the first team set up at the moment. That's what it's about at the end of the day, getting these lads through to that level. Mind you, it wouldn't have made any difference if he had played, because it was a very poor team display. This team is not about one or two players, they have been winning because they have played together and moved forward together. They didn't do that today, so that's why they lost.

I know that if our season ended now then we'd be able to look back at what has been a huge success. It doesn't even matter if we lose all of our remaining games, we can still rest with the fact that we have achieved a heck of a lot as a group. We shouldn't lose sight of that just because of this defeat today.

We've had a couple of bad results recently, but I have to say that it's the first time that we've been so heavily outplayed since the Burnley game on October 13, towards the start of the season. Accrington and Macclesfield were poor performances, but it's the first time for a long time that we haven't had a look in at all. We need to put it right next time out, and I'm sure we will. Like I say, the next time we play Wigan, at the end of this month, I'll be viewing that as an important game. If they do beat us easily, then we'll know that we're not as good as they are. I don't think that'll be the case."

United - Mitchell, Brown (Dowson), Wordsworth, Aldred, Duffy, Hindmarch, Wood (Lakeland), Blake, Tinnion, Cook, Dalton (Seaton). Subs - Jamieson.