Welwyn Garden City boss Marc Weatherstone says there are no excuses for their loss to MK Irish in the FA Cup - and he knows there is better on the way.

The Citizens fell to a 2-0 loss at Manor Fields, Mason Spence putting the Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division favourites in front on 16 minutes with George Shrieves adding a second four minutes later.

And despite plenty of effort, a depleted City side were unable to prise their hosts open.

"It only takes a second score goal and in a four-minute spell they scored two," lamented Weatherstone.

"I think we started alright and I’m not saying we deserved to win. Did we deserve to lose? I think they took their chances. 

"Bailey Stevenson had one in the first half where he was unlucky, it bobbled up at the last second and there were a few chances in the second-half, but yeah, not much more. 

"I think MK Irish were deserved winners. We huffed and puffed and I've got loads of excuses to throw at you, but I'm not going to. 

"The fact I came on to make my debut just tells you where we're at. I didn’t think I would have ever seen a pitch again. 

"It was unusual to start the FA Cup before the league, so it was a bit strange but no excuses."

READ MORE: WGC beaten by MK Irish in FA Cup - match report

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Summer signings Ryan Sellers and Matty Whichelow were just two of the names missing, and it left them with just four on the bench, including the boss himself. 

He said: "I've got seven players, seven starters that are not involved, whether that's illness or suspension or they’re away.  

"I know I've got reinforcements there but I was on the bench, my goalkeeping coach is on the bench, a 17-year-old is on the bench and Jack Vasey. 

"Vasey has not done any pre-season friendlies but he has to come on. 

"I'm not going to be down or beat myself up about it or scratch my head because I know I've got seven players who probably walk into the team and start. 

"We have the squad depth but hopefully it’ll be sooner rather than later." 

And he also knows the aside from personnel issues, the things to do column is filled with very achievable goals, stopping them being first among them.

The boss said: "I need to look back at their goals. From where we were in the dug out, it was a long way away but it just seemed like simple balls over the top or through the through the back line. 

"We had to change our formation. We played this way last year but we've got new players now. 

"The boys did what they could but we’ve worked on a formation in pre-season and drilled it and due to personnel, we had to change it at the last minute. 

"But I'm not going to blame anyone, this is a cup competition, a knock-out competition. 

"Like I say I thought we started brightly and I thought it could have been a positive day the way we started.  

"Goals change games and it only takes a second to score. 

"They are a good team, they showed that last year, but our 11 were good enough to win. 

"It wasn't to be and we’ll move on."