STUART GELLING suggested his job could be on the line if Cefn Druids repeat the performance that saw them beaten 4-0 at Caernarfon Town.

The Ancients were looking to reach the semi-finals of the competition for the first time since 2012, but came unstuck as Huw Griffiths’ Canaries ran riot in the last half an hour.

Naim Arsan’s red card for two quickfire yellow cards just before the hour mark, one for a petulant kick and the second a dive, condemned Druids to defeat.

“Any more results like that and I might not make it to (the end of the) seven games, to be honest,” said head coach Gelling, who replaced Griffiths in the Druids’ hotseat before the second phase of the season.

“We need to knuckle down, they are a good bunch of lads and we are trying to play a bit of football - I thought we showed that in the first-half, when we played we did very well.

“The sending off was massive, it had a massive effect on the game because you try to get back into it and you get exploited.

“We are disappointed but these things happen, it happened last Saturday (at Carmarthen) as well, so two sending offs in two games have potentially cost us results.”

Up until Arsan’s dismissal Druids were very much in the contest, the visitors trailing to Nathan Peate’s second minute own goal.

Gelling, who saw the likes Jamie Reed, Joe Faux and Ramirez Howarth go close to scoring in the first period, was frustrated to see Arsan given his marching orders.

“We’re obviously bitterly disappointed,” continued Gelling. “When you lose a game like that it’s upsetting and we’ve obviously told the lads how we feel, but they gave it 100 per cent and the sending off had a massive impact.

“I’ve just spoken to him and it was definitely two yellow cards, but I didn’t like the way some of their players were talking to the ref and I thought the influenced him for the first one - 100 per cent. Someone shouted at him ‘Give him a yellow’ he’s got the yellow out. It’s disappointing to influence the referee like that, but maybe that’s the way it is in Welsh football, I don’t know.”

Jamie Crowther, Sion Bradley and Gruffydd John all found the net after Arsan’s dismissal with Gelling left to reflect on a second successive defeat since he officially took charge.

“It’s massively disappointing,” he said. “We were miles better in the first-half, we were a miles better footballing team and we should have taken our chances, but we didn’t and that’s football.

“Fair play to them, they’ve exploited the extra man and they scored a few goals, so good luck to them.”

Caernarfon assistant Sean Eardley was delighted to secure a last four spot, tweeting: “Buzzing to progress to the semi-final, this epitomised the performance and occasion for me, together with the fans who week in/week out get drenched to follow their beloved @CaernarfonTown, that one was for you.”