We were embarrassing, admits Austin

Leo Spall13 April 2012

Crystal Palace's Dean Austin today said his team's performance in their 5-0 Worthington Cup semi-final defeat at Liverpool was embarrassing.

The experienced defender said the second-leg result - their heaviest loss this season - made it obvious how far the young side are behind good Premiership teams.

They went out of the competition 6-2 on aggregate and the players are just pleased they have 10 days before their next First Division game to get over the humiliation.

Austin said: "It was embarrassing. A few years ago when I was playing for Tottenham and was on the end of a 4-1 defeat I didn't think I would ever be embarrassed like that again but last night topped it.

"We gave it everything we had but our best was not anywhere near good enough. That is the standard we have to look to get to.

"Personally, I cannot take any positives from the game. I just want to put it behind me and get back down to work next week.

"We have got a young side and the experience may be good for them because they can learn from it.

"But I have been through disappointments like that before, I have played at all the big grounds, I have been at the top and know what it is all about."

Palace's next match is against West Brom at Selhurst Park on Saturday week when they will focus on their slim chances of getting into a play-off position.

The atmosphere and the opposition will be very different and Tommy Black said: "It is good we have some time off before that match.

"The boys were really disappointed after Liverpool. We gave it our all and got a good response from our crowd but we were not the better team.

"The defeat will knock our confidence a little bit in the short term but we can get over it."

It may take some longer than others and midfielder Simon Rodger added: "Maybe some of the younger players were overawed a little bit and obviously the game would have created a lot of nerves for some.

"They are not used to the big atmosphere and maybe it got to some of them."

Striker Clinton Morrison will have learnt what it is like to have nearly 40,000 people barracking you every time you get the ball and maybe not to criticise opposition players in between the two legs of a cup tie.

His suggestion that he could have done better than England international Michael Owen with the chances he had in the first leg firedup Liverpool.

Palace goalkeeper Alex Kolinko is facing a three-match ban after being sent off six minutes before the end for a foul on Robbie Fowler outside the penalty area.

But Rodger continued: "At least we have put Palace back on the map again with our cup run by beating two quality Premiership sides in Sunderland and Leicester and doing well in the first leg against Liverpool."

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