ATHLETIC’S cup exit was a bittersweet experience for Callum Morris but he insists it has proved they aren’t inferior to Premiership opposition.

After having a goal harshly disallowed in the original tie, the centre back was in the thick of the action at both ends in last Tuesday’s replay as the Pars were edged out by Hamilton in a penalty shoot-out.

The 27-year-old’s first goal since returning to Dunfermline gave them a precious lead that they looked like holding on to until he was involved in the controversial incident that gave Accies a penalty and a means of forcing extra time with three minutes left.

Morris felt harshly treated for the second time in four days by ref Craig Thomson but insists his team-mates must take positives into the remainder of the season despite the loss being a “sore one to take”.

After the match he told Press Sport: “It’s tough going out on penalties in any cup at any stage, especially when I think we’ve been the dominant team in both games, but I think we need to see both games out. It should’ve been done and dusted on Saturday but the boys gave everything; there was two fine performances and it’s just fine margins to be honest.

“We had chances to win the game, in both games, and it’s just come down to that at the end. It’s a sore one to take so late in the game, especially when I don’t think it was a pen.

“It’s one of those; he’s got a tough job out there Craig anyway, but I don’t think it was. Those things happen; both teams get them and it happens all season. I’ve been around the block enough times, have given away enough pens and scored enough goals; it’s how it goes isn’t it? It’s just football and it was down to a couple of fine margins at either end of the pitch.

“The lads can hold their heads up high after two decent games where I think we’ve dominated. I don’t think they caused us too many problems. If there was anyone sitting in that changing room thinking that we’re inferior to any of these clubs, then that just proves a point doesn’t it? We’re not; we’ve got the players that even now should be looking right up the table, at the top of the table, and I think it will give the boys a lot of belief for the rest of the season.

“I’ve said since I came back to the club that I don’t think there’s much between us and a lot of the SPL teams, and that kinda proves it to the boys. It’s going to be a sickener for the next couple of days but we’ll pick ourselves up from it, take the positives into the league campaign and hopefully it can give us a kick to start another run.”

When asked whether the tie proved that the Pars need to be more clinical in front of goal, Morris continued: “It’s not just scoring goals. I think the two goals we’ve conceded could be stopped and there’s not one player you can lay the finger of blame on because I think, as a team, we’ve done brilliantly over the two ties.

“We can’t stay too down so we’ll pick ourselves up and get going again. We’re disappointed not to be in the next round but we can’t rest on that now; we’ve got to get the positives in our heads and carry on.”

Dunfermline’s penalty problems were a main feature during the first half of the season prior to Morris’ return in the January transfer window and it was their failure to hit the net from 12 yards that saw them miss out on a trip to Rangers next month.

The Geordie-born player however had words of encouragement for Rhys McCabe, Michael Paton and Gavin Reilly, and insisted that the squad collectively would pick themselves up before the daunting trip to Easter Road on Saturday.

He added: “The boys can’t get too down. Penalties are a tough way to go out and the boys who stepped up to take those penalties were brave enough to stick their hands up. No-one’s going to hold that against them and we’ll pick ourselves up and go again at Hibs.”