Dons boss Jimmy Thelin guided his side to a Hampden Park semi-final at the first attempt with a 4-0 victory over The Spartans, but he was quick to praise the League Two opponents.
“The Spartans did well, they have an experienced coach and they closed down spaces in the first half. We were trying to find different angles and different ways to attack them. These goals we scored in the first half and the early one in the second half were important to get a more open game and to take off the stress and the pressure.
“These games it’s so important to get those early goals so they have to change something. But I think they were disciplined and they were a well-structured team, as we talked about before the game. I think it will go well for them in the league this season.
“I’m really pleased with the result, but the most important thing today for me was the last 10 minutes. It was 4-0, but when we lost the ball, everybody was sprinting back to their own goal and trying to have the clean sheet. That hunger we need to keep improving was nice to see.
“Now it’s going to be exciting to see the draw tomorrow for the game at Hampden, but that game is six weeks away. Right now, we have to keep focused on the league games and put all energy in every game. We can’t look more forward than that.
“We have three big competitions and we try to go far in every one but we do that still game by game all the time and by being humble and doing the hard work. I think that we should have ambition but we also know we have to be good ourselves and focus on that. You have to have performances over a longer time, otherwise you don’t deserve to go far in competitions.
“This is why I think it’s important we have different goalscorers because we try to find different angles to attack teams. It’s good that it’s different players who score and they share the responsibility to try to keep winning the games.”
As well as goalscorers, Slobodan Rubezic logged his first assist of the season with a cross for Leighton Clarkson, something he had prophesied at the interval.
“In the half-time, Rubi told everybody we need to put more crosses in and the first thing he did was a cross and it made a goal, so he’s a clever guy, he’s a good coach!
“It was good for Ester to score too. He is a good player, he’s one of the best attacking defenders, in the way how he closes the passing lines, how he can help others, put pressure on them. He works so hard for the team to create these opportunities with our pressing and it was nice for him to get that goal today. He gave everything to get the ball in the net so I’m really happy for him.”
