Carlos Villanueva ended the Blue Square North side's run with a brilliant 59th-minute free-kick, but although Rovers dominated the majority of the game at Croft Park, the minnows missed two late opportunities to force a replay.

Dunn said: "I'm extremely disappointed. I felt at the end of the game we might have pinched it.

"But it says something that a Premier League side were taking the ball into the corner at the end to waste a few seconds. It took a great goal to beat us.

"It's been a fantastic experience, a great night for us."

Rovers manager Sam Allardyce thought his team should have sealed victory long before Blyth threatened to pull level in the closing minutes.

"It was very comfortable until the last five to 10 minutes, but having not converted our chances they were bound to get a chance at some stage," he told Setanta Sports.

"It would have been disappointing had we not won this game. It was a wonderful goal from Carlos. We should have been a bit more clinical."

Allardyce made 11 changes for the game and claimed a team of youngsters and fringe players were guilty of inexperience in their failure to close out the match.

"I was getting frustrated with the lads not seeing a game out completely," he said. "They need to have the mentality to change the way they play."

Of Spartans' brave effort, he added: "In the last 15 to 20 mins they gave it their best shot and worked very hard to keep us out.

"They ran their hearts out for the club and take a lot of credit."