Falkirk manager John McGlynn suggested his team "were unrecognisable" from the side that is sitting sixth in the Scottish Premiership as they lost to second-tier Dunfermline Athletic after a penalty shoot-out in Saturday's Scottish Cup semi-final.
Neither side were able to score until the spot kicks that followed the 120 minutes at Hampden.
"I think the game started very scrappy," he told BBC Scotland. "It took a wee while to settle down and I think we then controlled a lot of the game.
"But the final bit of it, in the final third, it just broke down and, for a team that scored three against Rangers last week and scored three against Motherwell the week before, and score five against Kilmarnock and four against Hibs, today in 120 minutes, we couldn't produce any bit of quality that would get us a goal and win the game.
"I think both teams could have been playing until next Saturday and don't think anyone was going to score. Quality is missing today that has cost us.
"We managed to get through against Hearts on penalties and, if you keep going to that situation, you might end up not getting through and that's what's happened.
"We must have been going towards their end much more, but the quality was not there.
"The nerves were there early doors, but you have to overcome that. I don't think you can go through the whole game like that. We just didn't make enough of the ball."
Falkirk are left concentrating on the outside possibility of catching fifth-top Hibernian in the Premiership.
"It would have been nice to have something to look forward to at the end [of the season]," McGlynn added. "Five points behind Hibs is not impossible, but it is a bit ask.
"We have a big part to play professionally for the other teams who are fighting for the title."
