DISAPPOINTED Michael Collins admitted City paid the price for failing to take their chances after being knocked out of the Carabao Cup on penalties tonight.

League Two hosts Macclesfield won 4-2 in the shoot-out after Anthony O’Connor and Joe Riley both missed from the spot. Debutant Luca Colville had earlier scored as the first-round tie finished 1-1 after 90 minutes.

Collins was pleased with a performance which saw his side have 10 shots on target against inspired Silkmen keeper Rhys Taylor.

But he felt City should have made it count when they bossed proceedings for large periods.

He said: “It’s small margins. We asked them to create more opportunities tonight and they’ve done that.

“But when you don’t take those chances it comes back to bite you in football. That’s what happened.

“The pleasing thing for me – and I know people will say it’s League Two Macclesfield – is that we dominated the game for large spells.

“We looked like we could score on two, three or four occasions. But the keeper has pulled off a couple of outstanding saves.

“We’re still early in the stages of getting messages across but I saw a lot more positives tonight than I did from the Shrewsbury and Barnsley games.

“There’s loads for me to build on and the players understand that.”

Asked why two defenders had been among the first three penalty takers, Collins revealed he had left it to the players to decide.

“I back the players 100 per cent,” he added. “When we had a little huddle at the end of the game, those who put themselves forward had my full support.

“I think it’s irrelevant if they’re a defender, midfielder or attacker if they’re confident. Every player on that pitch has got the ability to strike a football.

“Tonight it hasn’t worked out for us. On another night we score those goals and nobody asks those questions.

“They were all confident and quick to put themselves forward.”