DAVID Hopkin was dismayed his side had two goals chopped off against Partick Thistle by referee Steven Kirkland as Morton exited the Betfred Cup following another penalty shootout defeat.

The Ton manager was left ruing his side's missed chances in the goalless draw against the Jags and felt they were denied a deserved victory after Ross MacIver saw two second-half strikes ruled out.

James Wallace and Rabin Omar were thwarted by on-form Thistle 'keeper Kieran Wright in the shootout at Firhill as Partick sealed the bonus point.

He told the Tele: “It was frustrating to not have come away with a win from the game. I was even saying to the players at half-time that we’d had six corners in the first half, we’ve won every single one of them and not scored.

“It’s just about being better next time out but saying that, even though Thistle had injuries, you can still see the quality that Ian McCall has in his side.

“Everybody was brilliant, even when you look at the players who were sitting in the stand not getting a game, they are buying into the club.

“We’ll be back in to prepare for what’s going to be a very tough game away to Arbroath next weekend.

“We’re getting there in terms of the way that I want us to play.

“I thought that we limited a good team in Partick Thistle to very little and I don’t think Aidan [McAdams] has been forced into any major saves.

“We’ve had two goals chopped off and I have no idea why they were.

“Ross MacIver has come in late and scored with his knee like he did against St Mirren and then for the second one from the long throw and it’s a header, that’s all it's been and he decides to chop it off for some unknown reason.

“It was difficult but it’s been a tough week to go away to St Mirren and then to come to Partick Thistle and we’ve equipped ourselves well again.

"I feel we should have finished top of the group given the way we played against St Mirren and Partick, so that’s disappointing."

Hopkin believes that he has been able to show the quality on offer over the course of the week after he rang the changes in his side across both League Cup ties.

He was pleased with the performances of returning duo Reece Lyon and Luca Colville after a spell out.

He said: “It shows you just how much quality we’ve got in the squad that we can afford to change things up.

“I’d said after the Raith game that we’d use the Betfred to get players some game time and because there’s no reserve league it’s that bit harder to get everyone minutes.

“Luca Colville and Reece Lyon have come in and I thought that they were excellent.

“I had to take the two of them off because I didn’t want to put them at risk of getting any injuries."