St Albans City may have suffered an 8-1 defeat against Mansfield Town in the FA Cup first round but joint Saints manager Graham Golds was proud of his side’s performance and said it was a great day for the club.

The final scoreline is a convincing one but doesn’t tell the whole story as, for an hour, St Albans more than matched their League Two opponents.

However, the Saints tired during the second period and Mansfield showed their class and ruthlessness in front of goal.

Golds felt St Albans’ extra time 4-2 win against Billericay Town in the FA Trophy four days earlier played a part in the Saints’ late collapse.

He said: “We were doing very well until around 60 minutes and then we started to tire and the midweek game against Billericay certainly played a part.

“We would’ve played in midweek no matter what but we would’ve rested players if it wasn’t the trophy.

“But we are very proud of the lads because in the first half we more than matched them and we were the better side.”

Golds added: “We passed around them and got the goal to go ahead. We deserved that but their two goals just before half-time put us in a head spin.

“We got them in at half-time and sorted things out. We started the second half well, got the equaliser but it was ruled out. That was demoralising and in the end it was important.”

The Saints went ahead eight minutes into the contest as Darren Locke headed home a David Keenleyside cross.

It was a lead they held until just before the interval. Lee Stevenson equalised and Mansfield led at the break as Anthony Howell tapped home.

St Albans were stunned but regrouped in the second period. The home side – playing in front of 3,251 supporters – thought they had levelled when John Frendo smashed home from 18 yards after a stylish Locke pass.

However, the assistant referee ruled the goal out, deciding the ball had gone out of play prior to Locke’s cross.

Golds said: “If that goal had stood, the adrenaline would have carried us through. We still may have lost but I am sure it would not have been 8-1.”

Any chance of a cup shock was extinguished in the final 20 minutes of the contest as Mansfield struck six times.

Colin Daniel thumped a volley past Paul Bastock and Sam Clucas added the fourth. Oliver Palmer notched the fifth and Clucas then grabbed a nine-minute treble to complete the rout.

The attendance was the Saints’ highest since the visit of Torquay United in the second round of the FA Cup in 1980 and Golds praised the home side’s support.

He said: “The final score doesn’t really reflect the game but even with us conceding eight, it was still a great day for the club.

“We were expecting maybe a couple of thousand fans but we ended up having more than 3,000 supporters at the game and they were all fantastic.”

St Albans, who took on Royston Town in the Herts Senior Trophy last night (Tuesday), remain in cup action on Saturday as they take on Chelmsford City in the FA Trophy. Golds believes the Saints are capable of advancing in the competition and says it is important for the club.

He added: “Chelmsford are a side in a bit of turmoil and Dean Holdsworth left the club last week after they had a run of poor results.

“The FA Trophy is a competition we want to do well in and I feel that we could go through a few rounds because it is only for non-league sides.

“There is also the prize money which is important for the club, in that respect it is like the FA Cup.

“So we want to get through and we are taking it seriously.”