Boss Paul Hartley could easily identify the key moment in Cove Rangers’ disappointing 2-0 League One defeat at Queen’s Park.
Hartley’s team had more than held their own through a goalless opening 45 minutes against a Spiders outfit who were presented with their League Two champions flag before kick-off.
However, just before the break, Fraser Fyvie lunged in needlessly on Charlie Fox 10 yards into the Queen’s half and was instantly red-carded.
The hosts took advantage of their numerical advantage after the break with Simon Murray curling in a fine free-kick to open the scoring on 53 minutes.
Within 60 seconds the lead was doubled as Cove goalkeeper Kyle Gourlay miskicked a clearance straight to Bob McHugh and then helped the half-time substitute’s curling shot over the line.
Hartley said: “I thought we were on top and in control up until the sending off. It was a moment of madness.
“It was a sending off and as an experienced player he should have done better, especially a couple of minutes before half-time.
“He should have stayed on his feet.”
Hartley added: “In the second half we were off it and made basic mistakes that led to goals. I have no complaints about the result based on the second 45 minutes, as we were well beaten and did not show enough character.
“We were very good in the first half. After the sending off we asked the players to keep it tight and not to lose the game. We did not do enough and I will not dress it up.”
Fyvie had come close to opening the scoring on 22 minutes when he met Harry Milne’s curling cross with a strong header which flew just over.
As Cove continued to be the better team, Mitch Megginson robbed Liam Brown before bringing out a fine save from Willie Muir, with Fyvie’s follow-up effort blocked by Grant Gillespie.
After falling two goals behind, Cove’s frustration grew further on 68 minutes when Harry Milne looked to be fouled on the edge of the Queen’s Park box and no free-kick was given, while Gourlay atoned for his earlier errors by saving a low McHugh drive as their opponents raced to the other end.
Substitute Rory McAllister came close with a 25-yard free kick for Cove and Shay Logan threatened for the ten men when he shot just over.
However, the size of defeat could have been bigger as Murray fired over from close range in injury time, before McHugh got a Michael Doyle cross stuck in-between his feet.
Skipper Megginson said: “We were not good enough. In the first half we were in the game, but in the second with the man down we could not get near them. They pressed us high and we lost bad goals as well.
“When you lose goals like that you do not deserve to win. Queen’s Park are ahead of us in terms of fitness, but we were the better side in the first half.
“We will get ourselves sorted out for East Fife next Saturday.”