A dejected Karl Robinson said he has “big dreams, big aspirations and big hopes” for Salford City despite their disappointing 3-0 defeat to Notts County in the League Two play-off final.
The Ammies were dismantled by a ruthlessly clinical Notts County performance, which saw Alassana Jatta, Lucas Ness and Jodi Jones score under the Wembley Stadium arch.
The 45-year-old head coach looked distraught as the cameras panned to him five minutes from time as the grim reality his side would not be able to mount a remarkable comeback in the searing 36C heat set in.
After the match, he was disappointed his under-par side failed to “fulfil” their play-off final dreams and commended the Salford supporters who descended on the capital in numbers.
“I thought every single one of Notts County players today were probably eight out of ten and Salford were four and five out of ten,” he told a press conference after the match.
“Every one of their players put a performance in that they probably haven’t put in all season, as a collective. They deserved the victory and deserve the shot they have got at the League above.”
He said: “We’re all learning who we are in the football pyramid and we have big dreams and big aspirations and big hopes,” adding that it was brilliant that “our fans turned up in their thousands.”
Notts County have the fifth-highest possession figure in League Two and baked the Salford backline in the opening half hour as the Ammies defended the sun-drenched eastern goal before capitalising on tired defending to score three goals.
Robinson highlighted that the game was played in the “most incredible heat” but refused to use the blistering temperature as an excuse.
“At certain stages it was burning through both sets of teams, but you did not see anybody going down, you didn’t see anybody trying to cheat the system, it was two honest teams that went toe-to-toe and they were just better in all areas than ourselves.”
The former Oxford United boss lost 2-1 to Wycombe in the League One play-off final at Wembley and said it felt like the stadium has a unique power to make teams perform in strange ways.
He said: “Wembley is such a ruthless place and sometimes you can’t put your finger on why people perform and why people don’t perform.
“It just has this mystique about it that we watch the great England teams who don’t get beaten and you think, well, what’s happened there? It’s Wembley. Things happen here.”
The deflated Salford boss said he “probably needs a break more than ever” after the extended season.
“I’ve literally given everything to this this year,” he said. “I really have. It’s been hard. It’s been just the injuries and just so many things that have been going forward and against us.
“Just trying to be strong every single day and trying to be the best version of you. And players have been the best version of themselves every single game. I’ve never questioned that.
“It takes its toll. I’m sure tomorrow I’ll feel like a sledgehammer has hit me. Right now I’m still dosed with adrenaline, but with hurt and pain.”
