IT is entirely typical of Kenny Miller that he should have spent last night accepting full responsibility for the miss which cost Cardiff City the chance of becoming Carling Cup winners.

The large screens at either side of Wembley showed 88 minutes when the Scotland striker pulled away from the Liverpool defence, latched on to a Don Cowie pass, took a perfect touch and bore down on Pepe Reina's goal. But his volley was a couple of inches too high

With the match ending 2-2 after extra-time, the 32-year-old would go on to strike the post with the first penalty of a wild shoot-out in which Charlie Adam also blazed high and wide before the Anfield side eventually clinched it 3-2, but Miller admitted that the game should have been over there and then. "I am more angry than disappointed," said the Scot. "The game shouldn't have even got to extra-time.

"I should have scored the one that fell to me towards the end, I am disappointed I haven't even hit the target because it is a fantastic chance. It never even crossed my mind that I would miss the target because it was sitting up perfectly for me, just to go and smash it into the net. I looked up at the clock and it said 88 minutes. If that goes in then we win the cup."

As for the penalty itself, Miller had also missed a spot-kick in the semi-final defeat to Crystal Palace and had hinted back then that he might let someone else have a go. Maybe he will this time.

"Penalties are a bit of a lottery when you see players like Steven Gerrard can't score and Charlie missing them," said Miller. "I just tried to place the penalty but you should be hitting the target. I don't know [whether I will volunteer for the next one], I said that the last time. Maybe I will take a different one, rather than that first."

The day will go down as Liverpool's first major trophy win since beating West Ham United in a shoot-out to win the FA Cup in 2006, not to mention a first piece of major silverware for Adam and the second coming of Kenny Dalglish, the Liverpool manager. But Miller, who will report for Scotland duty today despite appearing to aggravate a hamstring injury, feels Cardiff were worthy of the win against a Liverpool side which cost over £100m to assemble.

"They are always going to dominate possession that is the nature of the beast when you are coming up against a higher quality team," said Miller. "But there probably isn't a better chance in the game than that chance of mine, we limited them to shots from range.

"I am looking forward to getting away and meeting up with Scotland, and meeting up with the boys. You just try to put it out your mind and focus on Wednesday. I have seen Charlie briefly and I am sure we will have a longer chat when we meet up."

Malky Mackay, the Cardiff manager, spoke of the pride he had felt in the manner of his side's play. "To be leading half-way through the penalties you think you have got a chance but that is life," he said. "I said to the players there is a way to lose – you lose with dignity, lose the way you have just now, go and see your fans. I said to some of the young ones 'dry your eyes' because these are experiences that will make you stronger, not just in football but in your life. You deal with things in the correct manner, they should be very proud of themselves in terms of wearing the Cardiff City strip."

For Dalglish, it was his first trophy as a manger since taking Celtic to the 2000 Scottish League Cup, and was rare reward in a season where he has come under fire for his handling of the Luis Suarez racism row. "Cardiff were always going to be difficult but at the end of the day we've got our name on the trophy," he said.