CHALVEY Sports manager Steve Quelch is proud of their performance in the 3-1 defeat against Ascot United in the Hellenic Floodlit Cup on Tuesday, writes Rob Stevens.

The Stabmonks welcomed the Premier Division leaders to a rain-soaked Arbour Park and held their higher-league opponents in a goalless first-half.

Ascot broke the deadlock with a goal from Fabien Etienne on 67 minutes and doubled their advantage when Jonny Denton scored from the penalty spot in the 89th minute.

Chalvey pulled a goal back through Paulo Cicero in the fourth minute of time added on, but the visitors secured the win via Geoff Kabaki just seconds later.

Quelch told the Observer: "It's a hard one to take to be honest. I don't think it was a fair scoreline and a lot of major decisions didn't go our way.

"I'm proud of the boys because for a good 60-70 minutes we gave them a decent game and there wasn't a lot in it. I set them out in a certain way and they carried out the gameplan very well.

"We had a header cleared off the line in the first-half and a cutback to Jason Marney, who just missed the pass through.

"We should have gone into half-time 1-0 ahead at least because we didn't let them create too much, just a few stray shots.

"At half-time it was just a case of believing in ourselves. We had matched them in the first-half so we had to believe in ourselves to take the hand-break off a little bit, which we did. We started to get into some good areas.

"It was a case of believing and not letting the opposition get into our heads, and carry on what we did in the first-half."

He continued: "Their first goal is just one of them. There was a little scramble in the box and the player has got lucky with his shot going all the way through.

"That happens in football and it could've happened up the other end to be honest.

"I don't think I will talk too much about the penalty.

"We threw caution to the wind after that and put on some extra attackers, and pushed people forward. We created little bits and pieces.

"We got a goal from a corner which shouldn't have been a corner to be honest."

Quelch added: "I'm proud of the players because they done exceptionally well and had it been a different day things might have gone our way slightly.

"Ascot are a very good side and not sitting where they are for no reason, but the scoreline flatters them to be perfectly honest. They had that little bit more quality on the ball in areas but overall it flatters them."

Chalvey return to action in Hellenic Division One East with a trip to Wallingford Town this Saturday (3pm), before a return to Arbour Park for the visit of rivals Burnham on Boxing Day (26th December, 12.30pm).