Gartcairn defender Terry Hewitt says the better team lost as his side were knocked out of the West of Scotland Football League Cup by Glenafton Athletic on Saturday.
The Premier League side won 1-0 at Loch Park to go through to a first-round clash at home to BSC Glasgow in December, but Hewitt says the Conference B side more than held their own against fancied opponents.
He said: “We played another Premier team on Saturday and you wouldn’t be able to tell there was a league of a difference – we were very unlucky.
“We were the better side and their goalie got man of the match, so that gives you a reflection of the game.
“I thought we were pretty comfortable, and their goal was kind of a half-chance, but they took it, while we had a couple of clear-cut chances but never scored, which is unlike us because we’ve been scoring quite a lot of goals.
“The week before we scored six against Beith and it could have been more – we could have scored 10.
“It’s disappointing to be out of the cup, and I know I’ll obviously sound a wee bit biased, but the better team lost, in my opinion.
“But we’ve got nothing to fear if we do go up to the top league.”
The Airdrie side now have a weekend off before hosting Royal Albert in a Conference B clash at MTC Park, and Hewitt says they’ll use the time wisely, but would have preferred to be back in action.
He said: “I’d love to keep playing, the confidence in the dressing room is really good and it’s a great place to be at the moment.
“It was a wee set-back on Saturday, but the league is our main priority and we’re on a good run in the league, so the Royal Albert game will take care of itself.
“We’ll get a good week of training in this week end next, and then hopefully everybody will be fit and ready to go for the Royal Albert game, and then to push on with it over Christmas.”
Hewitt has been gathering praise from Gartcairn’s management team and is happy with that, but says it’s more that the team has clicked than any one player making a difference.
“It’s always great for coaches and the managers saying players are making a difference, but it’s not just myself,” he said.
“Anther boy called Scott Stevenson that I’ve been playing at the back with, Barry Eley, has come back from injury and we signed a boy called Ryan Bennett as well, who has been great.
“I think it’s just about the team taking a wee bit more time to gel, not just myself.
“I’ve done all right, but the other boys playing alongside me have done well, and it’s just a wee bit more time on the training pitch means things are starting to click.
“It’s a good place to be at the moment.”
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