DARREN CUMMINGS insisted Sauchie were miles off their best at the weekend as they crashed out of the South Challenge Cup.

The Reds welcomed Drumchapel United to Beechwood on Saturday but a second half "capitulation" resulted in a 4-1 defeat.

The hosts went 1-0 in the first half before Sam Collumbine could equalise in the 57th minute.

From there, it looked like Sauchie might have a fighting chance. This was short lived as Drumchapel fired in two in two minutes and scored again in the last minute of the game to knock Sauchie out the cup.

"It's a sore one to take," Cummings told Advertiser Sport. "This was the chance to get through to a semi but we blew it to be honest.

"We started alright, we knocked the ball about together and we had a few chances. Drumchapel had a chance and Chic [Bell] made a good save.

"We gave them the ball right back and they had another chance and scored. It was a mistake from Chic which isn't like him at all to be honest. He came out to grab it and he's fumbled a bit.

"We got into the boys at half time and came out a bit stronger. We got a well deserved equaliser through Sam Collumbine and then after that was where the problems started.

"We capitulated after that which isn't like us at all. It looked like it was a game too far for us – we looked tired, we looked like we had played a lot of football this season. We got punished for it and it's a sucker punch, to be honest."

Sauchie have had a packed season being involved in a title push in the league whilst also competing in several cups.

The Reds have been hit with a number of injuries throughout this season and have had to adapt each game to accommodate this.

"It looked like we had no energy about us," Cummings added. "It looked like we had played a bit too much football this season.

"The boys have been top class all season and we were missing a lot of key players this month. "Hutchie [Ross Hutchison] is usually a starter for us but Lucas [Williamson] came in the week before and did really well so we couldn't really move him out

"Connor Willingham on the right hand side is out with a serious injury at the moment but the two full backs are instrumental to how we play, they're key to us moving the ball up the pitch.

"Then of course, we're missing our main goalscorer, big Ross Kavanagh. He's banging in 30 goals this season and he's a big miss for us. Wee Sam [Collumbine] did brilliantly and he worked his tail off on the day.

"It was a tough one to take to be honest, a chance to make a semi final and it was a rough day at the office."

Next up for Sauchie is a trip to Vale of Leithen in the league again, with the Reds aiming to bounce back and close the gap on Linlithgow Rose.