Youth team skipper Ben Davies spoke to PNE.Com after his side went out to Gateshead in the first round of the FA Youth Cup and admitted that the team could only look at themselves in terms of blame.
The 17-year-old centre half was handed the armband for the clash at the Gateshead International Stadium and led his side with aplomb in the first half, as they dominated play and took a deserved lead, but after the break it was a different story, with the home side drawing level and eventually progressing.
“In the first half we put in a great performance and we looked favourites to go on and win the game after taking the lead through Brandon [Zibaka],” he told the official website.
“But in the second half I don't know what happened, but we let Gateshead get back into the game and went through to penalties, which is then anybody's for the taking.
“We have lost leads all season, not just against Gateshead. We have done it in the league and it is a matter we need to address quickly, but all the lads are gutted to go out in the first round.
“There are lessons to be learned from Wednesday night for all of us, it was a good experience to play in the FA Youth Cup, but we obviously wanted to get further than we did.
“We don't blame any of the lads for missing penalties, it should have never got that far, not even to extra-time.”
Being able to lead the side in the competition, was a boost that Davies enjoyed, except for the result: “It was brilliant to be handed the armband for the game, we are taking turns who is captain for each match, but the night would have been a lot better if we had won.
“Going forward we have had quality all season and we have never found it a problem hitting the back of the net but for some reason on Wednesday night we did, we only have ourselves to blame.
“We need to bounce back now in our next game, we have a big game against Accrington Stanley and we need to start off from there and build.”