BARNSLEY head coach Neill Collins said the players ‘let themselves and the fans down’ following their shock 3-3 draw with seventh-tier Horsham.
First half goals from Max Watters and Fabio Jalo, either side of two Horsham goals, meant the Reds went into the break 2-2 at half-time.
Mael De Givegney headed the Reds in front just after the hour mark but the away side equalised on 80 minutes through Tom Richards.
Collins said he did not see the ‘sloppy’ performance coming from his team.
He told the Chronicle: “First of all credit to Horsham.
“They were super organised and didn’t just sit back.
“They had a good game plan - their fans should be proud of them which I’m sure they are.
“I think we put in all the ingredients for a performance that gives us the result that we got.
“We made sloppy mistakes, not doing the basics well, not taking chances and giving up poor chances.
“We earnt the replay that we didn’t want.
“I didn’t see it coming from a lot of the players.
“The players’ attitudes looked good - they’ve played well, been in good form, trained generally really well.
“That’s what this competition can do to you and that’s what these nights can do to you.”
After Barnsley went ahead against non-league opposition, most fans would have thought it wold have been plain sailing - but Collins said if anything complacency creeped in.
He added: “You’re eager to get the first goal and we got it.
“If anything it bred complacency.
“The players made mistakes they haven’t been making.
“Against anyone you’re going to get punished.
“There’s some lads in there that haven’t been playing that you’re looking to push for starts.
“We expected more from them.
“The guys that have been playing were looking for a night off - there’s no nights off.
“Horsham were coming here and playing for their lives.
“We didn’t do the same.”
Collins said the players let themselves and the fans down.
“We spent the majority of the game in their half but the mistakes we made we were punished,” he said.
“It wasn’t just one individual mistake it was collective.
“So that’s a recipe for disaster.
“We didn’t take our chances either.
“Their goalie was fantastic - some of the saves were just incredible.
“We let ourselves down, we let our fans down.
“We had 26 shots and they had four.
“Everything in between summed up the scoreline.”
