Penalty shoot-out loss tough to take, says Dunfermline boss

After a 1-1 draw at East End Park on Saturday, Callum Morris put the Championship side ahead in the replay when he poked the ball in from close range in the 24th minute at the SuperSeal stadium.

However, with three minutes remaining the Pars defender conceded a penalty as referee Craig Thomson blew for a foul on McMann, allowing Accies striker Rakish Bingham to level from the spot.

Extra-time was goalless which meant penalties and Accies goalkeeper Remi Matthews saved from Rhys McCabe, Michael Paton and Gavin Reilly.

After Massimo Donati and Eamonn Brophy scored either side of Danny Redmond lofting his penalty over the bar, skipper Michael Devlin slotted in his penalty to make it 3-0 and earn Hamilton a quarter-final tie against Rangers at Ibrox next month.

Johnston said: "It's a really sore one to take. We looked comfortable throughout the whole match.

"The penalty we lost was a blatant dive. He conned the officials, but I suppose that happens, so it's disappointing to lose in that matter. He dived by about three feet so he did well to con the referee.

"I thought we deserved to win. We were the better team over the two games."

Hamilton boss Martin Canning refuted Johnston's claim and was delighted to get through to the next round.

He said: "I've not seen it back, but I thought it was a penalty. The two of them are coming together and Scott is going at pace, the boy steps across him and anywhere else on the park it is a free-kick. So for me, it's a penalty.

"Over the piece we probably deserved the break and it was pleasing to get through in a cup game. It's all about finding a way to get through and the boys dug in well.

"It was a really tough cup game, Dunfermline are a good side, but I thought we were the team in control for most of the game.

"You could feel the momentum shift and I felt the goal was going to come."

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