Middlesbrough manager Tony Mowbray has insisted that he is pleased with his side despite watching them lose 1-0 to Swansea City in this evening's League Cup quarter-final.
The Boro boss said that losing to a Sebastian Hines own goal was a "cruel" way to drop out of the competition, but was quick to point out that his team matched a side from a higher division for much of the game.
"I thought it was a tight game that could have gone either way. On the count of chances I think we had the better of it, but that's football," BBC Sport quotes Mowbray as saying.
"We didn't allow Swansea to play their open, expansive play, and stifled them really well. The nature of the goal was cruel - sometimes you don't mind losing to a good piece of play.
"Disappointing for us, but on another day in games like that we will come out on top. We have come to a team sitting in the top half of the Premier League and given a really good account of ourselves."
Three of the four League Cup quarter-final places have now been decided, with Leeds and Chelsea due to battle it out at Elland Road on December 19 for the final space.
