Derek: "A Sickening Blow"

The Pilgrims appeared to be heading for three valuable Sky Bet League 2 points thanks to Jake Jervis’s 23rd-minute header, before a disjointed performance finally caught up with them.

First, Kevin Mellor fouled Billy Kee to give away an 85th-minute penalty that Kee converted; then, three minutes into stoppage-time, Shay McCartan headed in a Matty Pearson cross to complete the late turnaround.

Derek said: “We are hugely disappointed in the manner we lost in the last ten minutes of the game. It was a sickening blow for everyone today. I couldn’t see Accrington getting that goal but they were given a penalty-kick and then they get a good ball into the box. We haven’t defended it well enough for probably the first time in the game, and they score.

“We didn’t play with the tempo we can do; we didn’t pass the ball well enough; we didn’t get the ball into good enough areas, as we did in the first half; and probably didn’t do the dirty side of the game well enough in the second half. 

“It’s probably the worst performance we’ve had this season – and we shouldn’t have lost the match. Accrington Stanley really didn’t trouble us and we had total control of the game.

“To have our worst performance of the season today and not come away with a win after being 1-0 ahead is hugely disappointing. We dealt with what they had to throw at us – they played a lot of balls down the sides and we dealt with it. It’s a sore one to take because of the manner of the two goals.

“The game should have finished 1-0 to us – there is no doubt about it – but to give away a penalty-kick and then to lose a really poor goal right in stoppage-time...I don’t think we deserved that. There is no way Accrington Stanley were better than us – I can stand here and say that – but they’ve won 2-1 and that’s the nature of the game.”

Derek declined to comment on the penalty award except to say that he was not surprised one was given.

“It looked like something was going to give because that was the nature of the way it was going – the amount of fouls that were given,” he said. “It just looked like they were going to get something.”