Eric Kinder says his Carlisle United under-18s must learn to be more ruthless after their exit from this season’s FA Youth Cup.

The young Blues suffered a 3-2 extra-time defeat to Bradford City in their second round tie at Brunton Park.

An entertaining contest could have gone either way with United leading through Charlie Barnes, being pegged back by Bantams’ Kian Scales and Daniel Francis, and then Jamie Armstrong making it 2-2 in normal time.

Harvey Rowe’s 118th-minute goal won it for the visitors, who will host Stoke in round three of youth football’s most prestigious competition.

United academy manager Kinder said United gave everything but should have taken better advantage from their strongest spells.

“There were periods of the game where we should have put our foot down but we didn’t and allowed them back in,” the coach said.

“As the scoreline suggests it was close all the way. We had an unbelievable start but they probably passed it better than us in the first half. We were glad to get to half-time.

“There was then a period in the second half where we had to put our foot down, go for it and get the tempo right. There was an opportunity in the second half to win that game and we didn’t take it.

“They’ve got to know that when they’re on top, they’ve got to put their foot down on the gas and take advantage.

“If we had, I thought the third goal in normal time was going to be us. They [Bradford] seemed to have gone. To be fair, they came back in extra-time.

“For us it was a sad ending to what had been an entertaining game.”

Kinder said United’s lack of a natural finisher in their side also cost them, as it has in other games this season.

“That’s been our problem all season – we don’t have that natural, out-and-out goalscorer our approach play sometimes deserves,” he said.

Kinder said certain individuals had come out of the game with particular credit.

“Tom Wilson, our captain, did well,” he said. “Charlie Barnes always gives everything – he had a bit of an erratic start but settled down.

“We couldn’t get Lewis Bell into the game properly. Taylor Charters keeps going even though it wasn’t his best game.”

Kinder, meanwhile, praised Bradford for their efforts even though he criticised the reactions of some of their teenagers to their last-gasp victory.

“I thought they were a decent side, although I’m a little bit disappointed with the way their players behaved,” he said.

“Emotions take over a bit when you’ve just won 3-2 with a minute left of extra-time. They can be excused it but I’m a little bit disappointed with it.”

United’s youth players will now focus on the league and the Cumberland Cup, having reached the third round of the latter after the disappointment of Monday’s Youth Cup exit.

“Let’s be realistic, we were never going to win the competition but I’ve always wanted to get to the third round and play somebody decent,” he said.

“That was our aim, to play a Category One club in Stoke, but it’s not to be.

“Once the Youth Cup’s over you start looking to next season. Second years have to push on now and force their way into a pro contract, first years have to get ready to be second years, and under-16s to get as much game-time as they can.

“That’s where my focus is now.”