KEITH Curle says there is no shying away from the mistake which cost Latics the chance of a cup upset against Ipswich Town, but he is determined to focus on the positives of their first round replay defeat.

Having taken the lead with Harrison McGahey's first goal for the club just before the half-hour, Latics missed the chance to be ahead at half-time when goalkeeper Jayson Leutwiler collided with team-mate Jordan Clarke, spilled a cross, and gifted Conor Chaplin an equaliser.

Ipswich Town went on to make their superior league status count in the final 10 minutes with Idris El Mizouni's stunning winner.

But overall Curle was pleased with the manner in which his players took the game to their League One opponents, and feels it is something to build on when they return to league action and their fight to get away from the foot of the table.

"On reflection we played well, and there are glimpses there of what we are trying to create, what we're trying to produce. And we've got to take credit for that because we were playing against a good team. We created some opportunities, disappointed with the (first) goal (conceded) but I'm always disappointed with goals we concede because I know that they are stoppable.

"There are lots of positives to take and I think the supporters that were here would have enjoyed watching what we're trying to produce, that effort, commitment, willingness to get on the ball, creating opportunities.

"You don't need to be a rocket scientist to say they will be disappointed because of the result and the manner of the goals that they (Ipswich) scored, but that's football.

"We've got to think about ourselves, there are lots of positives to take from that performance.

"Yes we need a little bit more. We've got four or five players coming back now and it was good to get Sam Hart on the pitch, Jamie Hopcutt on the pitch because they are going to add again to us. Good minutes for them.

"I though the mindset of the players was very good. We were playing against a good team, a very good football club, but we had no fear, and that's important.

"We know where we are in the league and we're back to the league campaign on Saturday, but there are lots of elements that we need to take out of this game and put that into the performance on Saturday."

Of the howler which got Ipswich back into the tie, and ultimately changed the course of it, Curle added: "It's those fine margins that define results.

"It's part and parcel of the game, and we've got to deal with it as a group. Every footballer will make a mistake, throughout the course of 90 minutes. You can't shy away from it, you can't be fearful of it. We're not fearful of it, we understand it.

"It's blatantly obvious the mistake that's been made but there are lots of positives to take from the game."