Robbie Neilson has challenged his Dundee United to win at Partick to ease some of their cup pain.
The Tangerines suffered an agonising exit from the William Hill Scottish Cup yesterday as Inverness Caley Thistle won the quarter-final at Tannadice with a last-gasp goal.
It came two minutes into injury-time from Aaron Doran, whose header made it 2-1 to the Highlanders.
That leaves United with only the Championship to play for and it is, of course, the league that has been their priority all along.
Next up is a trip to Firhill to face the other Thistle on Saturday and Neilson wants a victory.
The Tannadice boss said: “We are all disappointed because it was an opportunity to get to Hampden but we have to take it on the chin.
“The only way we can move forward is to win next Saturday.
“The league has always been the priority but getting as far as we can in the cup has been important for us.
“It would have given us momentum.
“It would also have given the fans something back but we didn’t do that.
“That is the biggest disappointment.
“We can sit here and talk about doing this and that but the only way we can move forward is by winning next Saturday at Partick. We have to do that.”
United had battled back after losing the opening goal on 19 minutes to a Joe Chalmers’ wonder strike.
Nicky Clark’s penalty on 68 minutes made it 1-1 but then Doran dived in to nod home the late winner.
Neilson added: “It was a tough game, to be fair.
“We got back into it and were in the ascendancy after the goal then we got done by a long throw-in.
“I know it was the last couple of minutes but we were the team that were creating the chances and the replay was there for us.
“There wasn’t a lot being created from their perspective so we’re all disappointed.
“The fans were fantastic and turned up in their numbers. They saw a game that maybe wasn’t the best football game but it was entertaining and people battled for the ball and things like that. It didn’t fall our way today.”
