Willie Irvine: I can't fault the players after cup defeat to Lochore Welfare

The free-scoring East of Scotland third division title winners travelled to first division strugglers Lochore Welfare hopeful of going one better in the competition than last year, but they lost out 1-0 in Fife.

Despite dominating the ball and the chances, and the hosts going down to ten men for the final ten minutes, Irvine’s team couldn’t find the back of the net for only the second time this campaign.

"We had 90 per cent of the ball and about 30-odd corners, but we just couldn’t score,” the boss said. “It was just one of those nights. It is a pitch that is impossible to play football on in all honesty and it suited them.

"They know how to play their own pitch and once they grabbed a goal they sat back on it and just shelled the ball out of play whenever they could. The pitch is so narrow too so you can really pack men behind the ball.

"I can’t say anything bad about the players for their performance because they gave everything. We pride ourselves on playing football with the ball on the deck and we couldn’t do it on that surface.

“The ball spent most of the game in the air and they scored with their only shot on goal. Sometimes you just need to put a game behind you.”

Athletic now face Livingston United away from home on league duty on Saturday.

Irvine said: “We still have five league games to go out and win, and the League Cup to play too so there is still a chance to make a cup final this season.”