Nuno Santo says Wolves players in 'real pain' after Watford defeat

Nuno Santo said his players were in "real pain" after blowing a 2-0 lead to lose their FA Cup semi-final with Watford.

Wolves looked to be on their way to a first FA Cup final in 59 years before their two-goal lead was extinguished by a Gerard Deulofeu stunner and Troy Deeney penalty and the former won it in extra-time.

After the game, Santo said: "We're sad, the players are and the fans are. It's a tough moment of real pain and disappointment.

"The feeling that we have is that we had it and it went away from us. We have to realise that in the last minutes of the game we should manage it better.

• REPORT: Stunning comeback puts Watford in final
• FA Cup semi-final as it happened

"There's pain in the dressing room, silence of course because at the same time, with all we've done in this competition to reach Wembley we've been proud, and now it's over we face it like a group. There's still a long way to go.

That equalising spot-kick - given in the fourth minute of added time - was rubber-stamped by VAR after Michael Oliver's award but Santo, who had not seen a replay of the incident, said he trusted the much-maligned system.

He said: "I've been asked the question but if there's VAR in the game, they see the images but I didn't - if it's VAR, if they judge it I trust them.

"Every challenge we have is a tool for us to work for, and even in real pain today we are conscious we should have done better, and at the same time we go on going really well and playing good football - it's difficult to play against Watford with the long balls they have and physical players and second balls, credit to them but we should have done better."

Play Super 6

Predict 6 correct scores for your chance to win £250K.