Cardiff will now look forward to the quarter-final draw on Saturday as we now turn our attentions back to the league and Mackay said: "a 1-0 win, a clean sheet, no injuries and through to the quarter finals of the Carling Cup is a good night.
"We were playing against a good Championship side with game changing players. They've got two centre forwards; one's cost an awful lot of money and one who will soon cost an awful lot of money so to give due respect to the team we beat tonight - they're a good Championship team and I thought the amount of possession we had and the way we passed the ball about I was delighted with.
Joe Mason got the only goal of the game, and Mackay said of it: "He had a chance before he scored that we created through his movement, but the one he did get was a beautiful finish. We started the move through midfield, a surge from Don Cowie, and his finish was sublime.
"He wants to work hard and play football every day and continue to learn. He's got good people around him, both in terms of coaching staff, players at the club and his own domestic people. He's very level headed and as long as he keeps working hard then he's certainly going to get better."
It was disappointment for Clarets' boss Eddie Howe. "We came here to face a strong Cardiff side and for long periods I felt we more than matched them. In the main I was pleased with us defensively, but individual errors keep costing us.
"One goal was enough for them and that's the disappointing thing. There was nothing in the game at that stage and we had weathered any storm that Cardiff were trying to throw at us. If we had gone in 0-0 at half time, we would have had a platform to go on and win the game, but to concede at that time was disappointing and then we had to chase the game.
"I felt we had chances in the first half and a few late in the game, but nothing dropped for us and it wasn't to be.
"We lacked a little finesse in the final third, but up until that point I felt we moved the ball really well. We weren't incisive enough to turn our possession into chances."
Explaining his team selection, he added: "There are no fresh injuries. We had to be sensible tonight and it was a balancing act. We desperately wanted to win the game, but equally we had to freshen things up to make sure we have enough bodies for the three games next week.
"We have a lot of games coming up and I felt we needed to keep everyone fresh. We have a really small squad, so we tried to rotate things with Saturday in mind.
"Ross was feeling his hamstring and Marvin has a bad back, so we didn't want to take the risk of starting him, but when you are bringing in the likes of Dean Marney and Keith Treacy you are not weakening the side and we game Alex MacDonald a chance.
"He deserved his opportunity tonight and it was a difficult game for him. He probably wanted to do too well and over-impress and then suddenly the basics go out of the window, but he will come again. He has talent and we will back him to the hilt.
"Zavon has also had to be patient, so it was a chance to see some of the players on the fringes of the team and in the main I think they did OK."