St Albans City manager Ian Allinson could not begrudge Corinthian Casuals a replay after the Bostik Premier League outfit grabbed a late equaliser in their FA Cup tie – but he was disappointed at his side’s performance.

The goal itself, five minutes from time, was cruel on City and Tom Bender in particular, as the ball careered off his outstretched leg that was trying to stop a cross.

It cancelled out David Moyo’s first-half strike that seemed like it would be enough at a nervy Clarence Park.

And it left Allinson rueful, if not truly angry.

He said: “A lot of teams will raise their game when they play a team from a higher league so I’m not surprised [at the result] but I am disappointed because I didn’t think our performance was anywhere near the performances we’ve been putting in over the last few weeks.

“We were off the game and looked very tired and heavy-legged and at the moment we’ve got a changing room that is feeling very sorry for itself in terms of a flu virus that is going round.

“Saturday’s game probably took more out of us than expected as well so I’m not going to be too hard on the players but I am disappointed because I didn’t think there was any sharpness.”

The game had followed a sorry saga which began with Whyteleafe’s expulsion for fielding a suspended player.

And it meant both teams struggled to get proper preparation in place.

But having seen them in action, Allinson now feels he has a clearer understanding of what is required to get the job done in the replay.

He said: “We had their replay against Whyteleafe watched, we had a report from Saturday’s game but they’ve got an energy about them, they’ve got pace about them and you have to question how they got turned over 6-1 on Saturday.

“But full credit to them, they came here, worked extremely hard and they’re fortunate from our point of view as they’ve got a wicked deflection that has gave them a second opportunity in the tie.

“I felt we’d done enough up until then to see them out and with a bit more quality we could have got a second.

“But they deserved something for their performance.”

In keeping with the history of the tie, the replay is also turning into a saga and it is just another example of the “shambles” coming from the FA.

Allinson said: “We don’t know when the replay will be. We’ve been told by the FA that it was Saturday and their secretary is now telling us it’s Sunday.

“So there’s no way I’ll be going to Taunton on Tuesday if we’ve only played on Sunday.

“The rules are there from the FA, they make these rules and we have to go along with them.

“But they have to respect that we’re a part-time football club. I’ve got players that go to work, I’ve got players who work on building sites and they’re doing 16,000 steps with wheelbarrows everyday.

“So it’s not easy to plan and prepare and we haven’t got a clue when we’re playing.

“We’ll train on Thursday night and see where we are then.

“It’s still a shambles and has always been a shambles from our point of view.”