FOREST Green Rovers' manager David Horseman spoke of his pride in seeing youngster Olly Sully score a stoppage-time equaliser to save his side's blushes in their FA Cup first-round tie at National League North side Scarborough.

An equaliser by the 18-year-old Sully substitute, first senior goal, secured a 1-1 draw for the League Two strugglers after Scarborough had taken a first-half lead through Alex Wiles.

Boss Horseman threw on Sully in an attempt to lift a lacklustre and unimaginative performance from his team and was delighted to see the teenager get on the scoresheet.

He said: “We were really poor. We gave a bad goal away and then had to break down an 11-man block, which we found difficult.

“But we did it in the end because some people stood up to the challenge of a difficult game and I’m really proud of Olly.

“It was brilliant to see somebody from our academy keep us in the FA Cup and help us live to fight another day.”

As for Scarborough boss Jonathan Greening, he was left to reflect on football’s ‘cruel’ side after his part-time team were denied an upset in heart-breaking style.

“I really wish we could have held on and won the game," he said.

“But it wasn’t to be and, sometimes, football can be cruel. The boys are absolutely devastated because they put an absolute shift in and I’m really proud of them.

“We’re a part-time team and might not have a lot of money as a club but we showed that we’ve got a lot of heart and we’ve just got to show the same work ethic, team spirit and passion now in the replay.”