Aberdeen defender Andrew Considine insists the Reds will be out to make amends for their early exit from the League Cup when they travel to Inverness tomorrow.
The Dons, top of the Scottish Premiership with eight wins out of eight, suffered their first loss of the season on Wednesday with a 2-0 defeat by Championship side Hibernian.
Jason Cummings and Dominique Malonga netted late on to earn Alan Stubbs’ men a place in the quarter-finals.
Having won the League Cup last year and reached the semi-finals last season, Considine is frustrated the defeat means the Dons only have the league and the Scottish Cup to now focus on.
He said: “We were well warned about Hibs and they bit us on the backside big time.
“It was a competition we wanted to progress in, having won it two seasons ago – that was a fantastic achievement.
“The boys are hurting but we have to pick ourselves up.
“We’ve been on a fantastic run and we hope to continue that at Inverness.
“The good thing about football is we are back at it on Saturday. We have to try to put it right.”
Progressing to the last eight of the competition would have meant only one extra match before the end of January but some Aberdeen supporters feel Wednesday’s defeat may be a blessing in disguise as it allows the Dons to focus on challenging for the league.
But Considine says the players would rather be chasing silverware on three fronts.
He said: “It could help us but if you ask any of the boys in the dressing-room or the supporters we would all have preferred to still be in the cup.
“We just weren’t fully at the races. We had a few chances but we just didn’t take them.
“After being on such a good run and doing so well in Europe we were high in confidence but it wasn’t to be.
“The boys gave everything. We just weren’t as clinical as were against Hearts.
“We did have a couple of chances but we didn’t take them and then Jason Cummings has taken a great touch on his chest and cracked it in the bottom corner.
“I thought it was quite even and it is a sore one to take.
“Hopefully, we can forget about it and concentrate on Saturday.”