Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes has challenged his players to right the wrongs of their earlier display when they travel to Stenhousemuir in their fourth round Scottish Cup replay next week.
The Dons boss was disappointed with the showing in Saturday’s draw against the League 1 side and frustrated they must wait a week to face the Warriors again.
Aberdeen head to Ochilview – scene of their shock 1995 exit to Stenny – next Tuesday but McInnes is confident Colin McMenamin’s side will see a more familiar Aberdeen.
He said: “Stenhousemuir thoroughly deserve their replay and I wish I could play the game tomorrow.
“I just want to get it out their system and take them on down there. We’ll be better for having a couple of games going into that one.
“The credit goes to Stenhousemuir and there’s frustration in my team’s performance.
“We’re expected to win and we all expected to win the game. We didn’t and it doesn’t matter because any game you play, you’ve still got to take your chances and bring those moments of quality.
“We’ve got a lot of players disappointed in their own performance, but collectively we feel the same pain.
“We’re thankful we’ve got another opportunity to try to rectify a lot of the wrongs we brought to the game.”
McInnes knows it could have been much worse for his side and he believes Saturday’s game will stand his side in good stead for tomorrow’s Premiership game at Hamilton.
He said: “We’re still in the cup and I’ve been around football long enough to know that sometimes in the cup, when your performance isn’t on the money, you’re out. We’re still in it.
“I thought we were professional enough but we weren’t good enough, certainly in the final third, to cause enough problems to get the second and third goals.
“We’ll look forward to the Hamilton game and we’ll be better for it.
“I’ve always felt we get better as we go along in the second half of the season.
“It’s hard to think of that game at the minute as that was a real disappointment.”
Meanwhile, McInnes hopes he can lure Joe Shaughnessy back to Pittodrie after confirming the club has made the St Johnstone captain a pre-contract offer.
He said: “We spoke with Joe Shaughnessy’s agent and notified Tommy Wright about that and we’ve made an offer to Joe for next season.
“I’m sure we’re not the only club and we’ve made a pitch to bring him back.
“Staying at St Johnstone is still an option for him as well, but we’ve made a pitch.”