MIDFIELDER Mark Harrington felt the Bluebirds' lacklustre second half performance on Saturday had cost them a place in the third qualifying round of this year's FA Cup.

Said Harrington: "It was just really disappointing. Coming up the hill in the first half I thought we played really well and dominated the game.

"We were unlucky to go a goal down against the run of play, but we responded well to that and equalised.

"But the second half didn't really happen for us to be honest, although I felt the challenge for their penalty was outside the box.

Obviously Tom got sent off as well and that left us chasing the game at that stage."

Harrington has played much of his FA Cup football in the later stages of the qualifying rounds, but is still waiting for that elusive first round proper appearance.

He came close with Bath City five years ago, when a last-minute equaliser at Cheltenham robbed the Romans of a first round date with Second Division Blackpool.

Harrington will now have to wait at least another year to fulfil his goal with Chippenham, but was not totally despondent at the final whistle.

He said: "It is just the same feeling as losing a league game. You never like to lose one.

"The way we were playing in the first half made it really uncomfortable for Weymouth. We were turning them around and getting in behind their back three.

"It was working, but then we just stopped playing. They upped a gear and we went down a gear."

The ever-present midfielder is confident the Bluebirds will recover from Saturday's setback and has been pleased with the way his side have started the 2002/03 campaign.

He said: "It has been very good. That was only our third defeat in 12 games and, if you'd given that to us as the start of the season, then we'd definitely have taken it.

"I'm sure we'll bounce back. We've got Moor Green on Saturday.

"They beat Bath not long ago, so they must be good. To be honest, all the sides in this league are.

"It will be another hard game, but we've got a good set of lads and have a few coming back from injury now, which is great because we've been down to the bare bones."