Buxton boss full of 'immense pride' after FA Cup defeat to Morecambe

Boss Steve Cunningham was full of pride after Buxton pushed Morecambe all the way in the FA Cup.

Buxton boss Steve Cunningham says his side must take immense pride from their 1-0 FA Cup defeat to Morecambe.

The Bucks enjoyed a bright start and nearly took the lead when Diego De Girolamo hit the woodwork on 13 minutes.

Cole Stockton fired the Shrimps ahead with a cool finish after Shane McGloughin played him in on 29 minutes.

Theo Richardson made a brilliant double save to deny Wesley McDonald and Stockton ten minutes later.

Wes McDonald, Stockton and Jonah Ayunga all wasted good second half chances for the visitors

“The lads have put the club and Buxton as a town on the football map,” said Cunningham.

“They stood up to the challenge of Morecambe and the conditions and didn’t show the gulf in divisions.

“It is a game of fine margins and fine margins have undone us today.

“We needed to try and take advantage of the wind in the first half. I thought a goal was coming in the first 15 minutes and then we would have had something to hang on to.

“We gave a very good team a very good go and we have to feel immensely proud of what we have done today.”

Top scorer De Girolamo was forced off with injury at the start of the second half in what is another blow for the injury-hit Bucks.

“He is our number 9 and the top scorer in the league,” said Cunningham.

“The league is the priority and there’s no bones about it.

“We have got some good players but we are down to the bare bones and we will look to bring a couple in.

“We had no centre-halves on the pitch today and we are having to dig deep but that’s the character that we have got.

“We believe we have home quality players that can take us on in our league campaign.”