FC CLACTON boss Kieron Shelley believes his players have become victims of their own success in terms of heightened expectations.

The Seasiders shipped two late goals – including an equaliser deep in stoppage time – in Saturday’s 2-2 draw at Hadleigh United.

It was the sixth time this season they have conceded in injury time.

However, Shelley refused to point the finger of blame at his players and instead praised them for their rapid progress in a short space of time.

“Of course I was frustrated, because we were so close to another win,” he told the Gazette.

“I want to be winning games – not drawing or losing – more than anyone.

“I want to push on and help this club up the league and I want to be successful here.

“But if you take a step back, it’s another point on the board and that’s a result we would have happily taken this time last year.

“The truth is that we’ve become victims of our own success, because we’ve come on far quicker than we ever imagined.

“With success comes expectation and that’s why people were annoyed by the fact we didn’t hang on for the victory.

“But these things happen. That’s football and that’s why we all come back for more.

“The bigger picture is that we’ve only lost once in our last 11 games.

“This time last year we only had three points on the board – now we’re only four points away from matching what we finished on last year.

“That shows how far we’ve come in a short period of time and the boys deserve so much praise, rather than criticism.” Tom Holdstock put Clacton ahead, nodding home a free-kick, before Matthew Eve doubled the Seasiders’ lead at Hadleigh.

However, the Suffolk side pulled one back in the latter stages and then grabbed their equaliser deep in stoppage time.

Both sides had been reduced to ten men late in the first half, with Holdstock seeing red after an alleged foul on the Hadleigh goalkeeper.

“I was more annoyed about the amount of added time that was played,” added Shelley.

“We had the whole game recorded and so I know for a fact there were an extra eight or nine minutes.

“I’ve got no idea where that came from.

“For me, it’s too harsh to blame the players, though.

“They were absolutely gutted and devastated to drop the points but I assure the supporters and everyone associated the club that we’re working hard to keep improving.

“We’re not the finished article, the boys are still learning their trade and one of the areas we clearly need to improve on is seeing games out.

“That said, we played well for 70 to 80 minutes, despite being without Louie Newland, Jake Plane and Billy Wales.

“We always knew it was going to be a tough game but we deserved to be in front at half-time.

“Then in the second half we scored again to put a bit of daylight between the sides.

“After Hadleigh pulled one back, the momentum swung completely in their favour. We defended gallantly and were almost there but it just wasn’t to be in the end.”

Clacton return to the Rush Green Bowl on Saturday for a Thurlow Nunn League premier division match at home to Newmarket Town.

The Seasiders’ reserves lost 3-2 at home to Bradfield Rovers, in division one of the Essex and Suffolk Border League on Saturday.