GRAHAM Turner reflected today on how close his Hereford United team came to another £300,000 FA Cup windfall.

United's Director of Football said his players were "devastated" to have lost 2-1 at Leicester City in last night's third round replay, having led the Premiership side until 12 minutes from time.

Had United won they would have been away to Arsenal in a live televised match on January 9, and Turner believes they would have made £300,000 from that game.

But the Edgar Street club, over £1 million in debt, have still banked around £200,000 from their memorable Cup run.

Turner said: "Four or five weeks ago we wondered how we could find £26,000 to pay the VAT man. The Cup run has enabled us to keep the wolf from the door and should do us for the rest of the season."

Turner said some of the Bulls' players were in tears at the end. "They have got to be devastated -- they were so close and yet so far.

"I thought the players did themselves justice and one or two of the younger players did very well. It will stand them in good stead for their ambitions.

"I felt that the belief in the camp didn't diminish coming to Filbert Street. I thought we were capable of winning the game and so did the players."

Paul Fewings, whose goal gave United a lead they held for 39 minutes, said: "We were pleased to have played so well but gutted that we haven't come away with the result we wanted."

Of his goal, he said: "Paul Parry crossed and I went up for it, backed into the goalkeeper and I felt as if it came off my head and went in."

Skipper Ian Wright added: "We had to psych up early doors but the longer we kept them out, the more we could get into it.

"They came back in the second half and that was to be expected, but we thought we were going to hang on but they had one rebound that dropped for them."

Left-back Paul Sturgess said: "I think the goal was very important. To go a goal behind would have made it very hard, but it gave us a lift and gave us something to hold onto.

"We defended as a unit and we thought it was going to be our day because everything they were throwing at us, we were dealing with.

"The fans gave their all from start to finish and it did help us -- it was brilliant to see 3,000 turning out for us. I have to give credit to the Leicester fans -- they were all standing up and giving us a clap afterwards, which was great to see."