Elgin City boss Gavin Price felt his players could hold their heads high despite going down 4-0 to League Two leaders Kelty Hearts on Saturday.
The Borough Briggs boss felt his players deserved better than the eventual scoreline.
He said: “It’s hard to say when you get beat 4-0 but I wasn’t disappointed with the players.
“I thought they kept their discipline, they definitely worked hard and I don’t think 4-0 is a fair reflection on the game.
“Yes, Kelty deserved to win with the possession and players they have.
“We had a game plan against them twice so far this season and it’s worked twice but losing the early goal is frustrating, especially as the penalty isn’t a penalty.
“I think everyone in the ground can see that apart from the most important one in the referee.
“That’s unfortunate but it doesn’t affect how we wanted to play, then we lost a poor second goal.
“We’ve created chances in the first half and again at the start of the second so I did think we could get back into the game.
“We started really brightly in the second half and had a really good chance to get back to 2-1 but it didn’t happen and the third goal has killed us.
“The game opens up and Kelty are always going to hurt you with the players they have from middle to front.
“You go chasing the game and get yourself into difficulties but I’m not disappointed with the players.
“We worked hard and we kept our discipline but we couldn’t get the result. That’s going to happen against a team the standard that Kelty are.”
Price would have been encouraged by his side’s results against the league leaders so far this year but any plans were out the window after only seven minutes.
Referee Grant Irvine adjudged Kelty’s Alfredo Agyeman had been fouled in the box and Kallum Higginbotham hammered home from the spot.
Just before the half hour it was two as Agyeman found the bottom corner from a Joe Cardle pass.
Kane Hester created a good chance for himself shortly after but his effort was blocked by Darren Jameison in the Kelty goal as City went looking for a way back into the game.
This almost arrived shortly after the restart, Rabin Omar looking on in anguish as his effort hit the post.
Here is the team lineup for todays match against @KeltyHeartsFC
Come on City! 🖤 pic.twitter.com/L4v6baWOYQ
— Elgin City F.C. (@ElginCityFC) February 5, 2022
The contest was over two minutes later as Michael Tidser found the net from around 20 yards out with a curling free kick that Thomas McHale may feel he should have done better with.
Kelty were in cruise control now and would add a fourth before the hour.
McHale tipped a tremendous Tidser effort onto the post but the ball fell straight to Agyeman to tap home and complete a comfortable win for the hosts.
