STANLEY boss John Coleman thought the best team lost as his side bowed out of the Carling Cup to Leicester City last night.

A James Wesolowski goal four minutes in was enough to send the Foxes through despite Stanley twice hitting the post and having a Rommy Boco volley spectacularly saved in a rousing second half performance.

And Coleman was proud, but philosophical at the end.

He said: "I would have liked to have won, without a doubt, but anybody who watched the game knows that without a doubt the best team lost.

"We started very slowly and it cost us the game. It was a bit of a scruffy goal that we conceded.

"I think in the second half you would have sworn that we were in the Championship, but it's them that's in the next round.

"I can't be disappointed with the performance. It was one way traffic in the second half.

"Our set play worked beautifully, it beat the goalkeeper all ends up but hits the post and you just think it's not going to be our day and that's the way it turned out."

But, the result aside, Coleman was delighted with his side's showing which should give them real confidence for the tough league games coming up against Darlington and Lincoln City.

Coleman added: "We have got some big games coming up and we need to face them in the manner that we have the first two.

"What we've got to do is take heart from this performance and learn from our slow start. But we can also be buoyed from our second half performance.

"We've had two really good performances, only conceded one goal, and didn't really have too many scares after their goal tonight.

"We've got the makings of a really good side here, and we've got strength in depth which is important.

"If we can maybe have a little bit of luck in front of goal we can win a lot of games this season."