Words: Michael Flynn
Image: Getty Images

Palm Beach coach Grae Piddick says his players can hold their heads high following an outstanding season, despite last night’s Westfield FFA Cup Quarter Final defeat.

Sharks were humbled 5-0 by Hyundai A-League club Central Coast Mariners in the cup tie at Cbus Super Stadium on the back of four second half goals to substitute Matthew Sim.

The result ended Sharks' 2014 season, however Piddick said the result can't detract from an outstanding year that saw the club claim the PlayStation 4 NPL Queensland Premiership and Grand Final double.

“Usually when you win a competition and a Grand Final you get to celebrate,” Piddick said after the match.

“We’ve gone into other competitions and finished on a downer by losing, but the boys just need to remember they have had a great year.”

“We will have a chance to celebrate our achievements now, which I’m sure the boys will be happy about,” he added.

Piddick conceded the difference in quality between the fully professional Mariners and his own team on the night.

“We obviously had a game plan to try to stay in the game as long as possible knowing some of those boys played on the weekend and if we got a half chance possibly take it,” Piddick explained.

“They just showed their class and you just can’t afford to make mistakes and I think three of the five goals possibly preventable tonight. That’s the only disappointing thing.”

However, he said his players have learned plenty from the experience of playing against a Hyundai A-League club outside of a friendly setting.

“I think our players did the best they could and certainly some individuals had really good games tonight against good opposition. So that’s one positive," Piddick said.

“We’ve got a very young side and they all have potential to improve. I’m sure they all want to have another crack at another team again next year and improve on what we’ve done tonight," he added.

Star Sharks striker Chris Lucas, who scored a competition best 35 goals in both the PlayStation 4 NPL Queensland regular season and finals, failed to add to his season’s tally in the Westfield FFA Cup.

However, he said he had no regrets about his returns in the competition in an otherwise stand-out year.

“I’ve been pretty happy with the season I’ve had and it just hasn’t didn’t happened for me in the FFA Cup games,” Lucas explained.

“The boys did their job in the FFA Cup games and that’s what matters in the end,” he concluded.

Palm Beach advanced further than any other Queensland club in the inaugural Westfield FFA Cup, including defending Hyundai A-League Champions Brisbane Roar.