Hartlepool United manager Ronnie Moore has refused to blame his penalty takers after the club were knocked out of the Johnstone's Paint Trophy by Sheffield United.

Jay McEveley scored the winning spot kick in the shootout after the game finished 1-1 at Victoria Park, with Scott Fenwick's goal cancelling out Ryan Flynn's opener for the Blades.

However, speaking after his side's first-round exit, Moore was quick to praise the "guts" of his players.

He is quoted by the Hartlepool Mail as saying: "For penalties, we find out who the brave ones are. Even with 2,000 in the ground, it's still a long way to the penalty spot.

"You want to scream and shout when they miss it, but you can't they have the guts to pick up the ball and go and try to do it.

"I said before they went 'pick your spot, don't change your mind and whack it'. It's disappointing that the two we missed were simple side-footers."

Hartlepool are currently sixth in League Two.