Dick Campbell has rued missed opportunities as Arbroath went down 3-1 to Hibs in the Scottish Cup.
The Lichties put up a brave fight against their Premiership opponents in front of a packed Gayfield crowd.
Craig Wighton put the home side into a shock home lead early on, but the quality of Hibs began to show with goals from Demetri Mitchell, Kevin Nisbet and Chris Mueller eventually winning the tie.
Praise for his players
Arbroath did have chances throughout the first half and at the beginning of the second, but they couldn’t get add to their tally.
Although disappointed, Campbell couldn’t fault the effort shown by his players.
“You expect that [effort],” he told BBC Sport. “Any manager worth his salt would expect the effort given. The crowd lifts everybody.
“I’ve no complaints whatsoever. We had two fantastic chances right after half-time and we didn’t take them.
“You need everything to go for you and it didn’t go for us today, coupled with an excellent finish from the boy [Nisbet]. It was a fabulous finish, that wee bit of quality.
“I’ve no complaints whatsoever. That’s the way football is, they’ve done themselves proud.”
‘Wasn’t our day’
Arbroath could have found themselves 2-0 up in the first half due to a mix-up in the Hibs defence.
The linesman had his flag raised with Craig Wighton looking in an offside position.
But referee Willie Collum never blew his whistle and Jack Hamilton was so close to putting the ball in the back of the net as the visiting players switched off.
Moments after that gilt-edged opportunity, Hibs found themselves level.
“He [Jack Hamilton] said to me at a half-time it was miles offside, but there you go, he wasn’t,” Campbell said.
“These are chances you need to take. On any other day it might have gone our way.
“But anybody who knows anything about football would see the depth and quality Hibs have, and all credit to them, I thought they were worthy winners.
“Every one of our players worked hard. I just felt it didn’t fall for us. It wasn’t our day, if you like.”
