The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Pars urged to learn from mistakes after disappointing exit
SCOTTISH CUP: Goal of little consolation for Pars striker as Morton advance to fifth round
Dunfermline striker Declan Mcmanus was left disappointed despite a fine solo goal as his side crashed out of the Scottish Cup at East End Park on Saturday.
Mcmanus had pulled his side back into the tie with a cracking strike on the hour mark only to watch his side lose to a late Jai Quitongo effort.
Between those goals Pars striker Nicky Clark was denied by a brilliant save by Morton keeper Derek Gaston.
Mcmanus said: “Desperately disappointed. I think we had more than enough in the game to win it.
“We created a lot more chances than them, it’s a hard one to take but we’re the creators of our downfall.
“Their goals were maybe a bit too easy and we haven’t taken our chances and it’s a disappointing day.
“After we score I thought we could go on and win it. Nicky’s had his header and we had the momentum then but they managed to keep us out and the longer it goes like that it is anyone’s game.
“Then they hit us on the counter and that’s not good enough from us but we have to learn from it.”
It was an old-fashioned cup tie with both teams showing plenty of attacking intent and throwing caution to the wind with Mcmanus almost giving his side the lead as early as the seventh minute with a curling effort that Gaston did well to push out, Clark just failing to pounce in the aftermath.
The visitors were then to enjoy a spell of domination and were close to taking the lead on more than one occasion.
Firstly a delightful Jack Iredale cross just failed to find Scott Tiffoney with the goal gaping then Gary Oliver with a cute back-heel from another Iredale ball in that was to come back off the post.
Oliver was not to be denied, though, and he put his side ahead on 24 minutes, getting on the end of a Frank Ross through ball to poke past Lee Robinson and into the net.
The second half was no less of a frantic affair and it was Mcmanus that was to make the first impact with a blistering shot that dipped under Gaston just before the hour mark to bring his side level.
The home fans smelled blood and their team nearly had the lead just a minute later when Clark rose to meet a corner with a powerful header that Gaston kept out brilliantly.
This seemed to galvanise the visitors and they went looking for a winner.
Iredale saw a well-placed header from a corner cleared off the line by recent signing James Craigen.
The final word was to fall to Quitongo, the man Pars fans are growing a real distaste for.
He gathered a Gary Oliver pass cut inside and curled an effort through the legs of the defender and past a despairing Robinson to send the Greenock outfit into the next round and a home tie with Peterhead or Dumbarton.