Yates was unhappy with the match being held in FA Cup week
Kidderminster Harriers' manager Mark Yates says his players deserve a lot of credit for their showing in the 3-2 Setanta Shield defeat at Burton Albion.
Yates told BBC Hereford and Worcester his side deserved far better reward after an impressive performance.
"I thought we were excellent - we were the better team by a mile and created plenty of chances," he said.
"We got done by a couple of set piece goals, which is very unlike us, but we were a small side."
Shaun Harrad headed the home side ahead after only five minutes, but Harriers hit back to lead 2-1 at half-time courtesy of goals from David McDermott and Daryl Knights.
The major talking point of the game came in that first period when the Burton keeper Saul Deeney hauled down Stefan Moore when the striker looked certain to score, but received only a yellow card.
Yates said: "It was complete and utter professional foul - he knew exactly what he was doing so he's off for me.
"It's not even a debate whether there were men running back or not - Stefan has tapped it past him and is just going to roll it into an empty net.
"I am not trying to get people sent off, but the referee got that one wrong."
Yates said there had been a temptation to make late substitutions in an effort to find an equaliser, but he admitted that Saturday's FA Cup first round tie against Cambridge United had been a factor in his thinking.
"I could have thrown on a couple of bodies at the end but to be honest the last thing I wanted was extra time.
"I was really pleased with the performance, the effort and the football that we played," he said.
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