Dons manager Roberto Di Matteo said he was proud of his team's efforts despite their elimination from the Carling Cup at Cardiff City.

A much-changed Dons side were edged out by Championship City by two goals to one in a tight affair at Ninian Park.

Having fallen behind to a Ross McCormack penalty just before half-time and Peter Whittingham's 58th-minute free-kick, the Dons hit back through Sean O'Hanlon 16 minutes from the end.

But Di Matteo's team, with six changes from the starting eleven at Huddersfield, were unable to find the goal that would have forced extra-time.

Di Matteo told the press after the game: "I'm always disappointed when we lose but the players made themselves and the Club proud tonight.

"It was a great performance tonight and I can only keep saying that this is a great group of players we have here.

"There were some tired legs and three games in seven days is tough on the players - I know that myself. A couple had little knocks so you don't want to risk them with a long season ahead, and there were some others that deserved the chance to prove themselves in the team.

"We don't come to games to lose, I always want to win but I'm proud of the team tonight.

"We fought to the last seconds tonight and were a bit unfortunate."

McCormack's penalty, given in first half injury time after Drissa Diallo's foul on Ricardo Scimeca, was a cruel blow after a solid defensive dosplay in the first period.

But Di Matteo said he had few arguments with the decision.

He said: "I didn't get a good view of the penalty but my players tell me it was a foul.

"Conceding a goal just before half-time is really tough but we said at half-time that we were still in the game.

"I told them to keep going because I didn't think there was a big difference between the two sides tonight.

"We conceded another goal from a set-piece, which is unlike us, but we got one back because the players showed the right mentality.

"We try to win games and the way we do that is to simply keep performing and over the long term you should get results."