James Latta vowed to focus on the positives after Irvine Meadow clinched a 1-1 draw at home to Hill of Beath Hawthorn in their Scottish Cup preliminary round tie.
A second-half equaliser from Calum Gow cancelled out Michael Fleming's early opener during a bizarre afternoon at Meadow Park on Saturday.
The far-side assistant referee went off injured after five minutes with the replacement flag man unable to continue beyond the interval.
In the end, a committee member from the Haws ran the line after the break as a hard-fought contest ended in stalemate with the replay at Keir's Park in Fife next Saturday.
Medda co-boss Latta said: "We're delighted to still be in the cup but if we had taken our chances then we would be in the next round. But there were a lot of positives for us and we need to take them rather than the negatives.
"Obviously the lino went down injured, and we went 1-0 down, but we showed great character to come back. Big Calum has got that in his locker as he is very aggressive in the air."
Fleming steered the Haws into a 12th minute lead from a corner but Medda had a plethora of chances to level with striker Callum Graham denied by keeper Stuart Hall and then hitting the post.
The excellent Hall tipped a Connor Boyd effort over the bar and blocked from Graham with that particular rebound sent high and wide by David Ramsay with the goal gaping.
Gow headed home Conor O'Donnell's corner in the 62nd minute to make it 1-1. Graham was twice denied a winner while, at the other end, the Haws struck the bar before Fleming blazed over in the closing stages.
Haws boss Jason Dair said: "We expected a tough game here. Irvine Meadow have always been a great club with great tradition. We got off to a great start but after that there wasn't much between the teams."
Medda were one of six Ayrshire sides taking part in the preliminary round this weekend.
At Beechwood Park, Auchinleck Talbot thrashed East of Scotland League side Coldstream 7-0. with Ross Taylor grabbing a hat-trick.
Keir Samson, Bryan Boylan, Jamie Glasgow and Arron Mason were also on target as 'Bot cruised through.
Darvel will be joining them in the first-round proper draw on Monday after coming from behind to beat East League Haddington Athletic 3-1 at Millfield.
Ross King fired the hosts in front but they suffered a setback when keeper Dale Cornet was red-carded. 'Vale took full advantage and won thanks to goals from Ian McShane, Lewis Morrison and Allan MacKenzie.
There was plenty of drama at the Hamish B. Allan Stadium as Kilwinning Rangers needed a late equaliser from Mark Millar to force a 2-2 draw at Rutherglen Glencairn.
Millar had put Kilwinning ahead but a Jack McIlveen brace turned the tie on its head before the midfielder popped up with a minute remaining. The replay is at Buffs Park next Saturday.
However, there was disappointment in the sunshine for two of the region's representatives.
Girvan were thrashed 6-0 by Pollok at Newlandsfield. Craig Patterson netted for Bonnyton Thistle in their 4-1 defeat to Clydebank.
Cumnock were handed a bye to the first round after their opponents, amateur side Tower Hearts, forfeited the tie.
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