Forres Mechanics were defeated 2-0 by Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic at Mosset Park in the first round of the Scottish Cup.
The Lowland League leaders took the lead in the first period through Kieran McGachie.
However, in the second half the Can-Cans threw everything at Bonnyrigg, but couldn’t find an equaliser and George Hunter’s late goal wrapped up victory for the visitors.
Rose strong from the off
The visitors started brightly with Dean Brett’s cross from the right bundled wide by McGachie and then Neil Matynuik picked out Dean Hoskins but he headed straight at Stuart Knight.
Forres struggled to make attacking inroads in the first period.
Lee Fraser’s shot which was blocked behind and Stuart Soane’s header into the side-netting from the resultant Robbie Duncanson corner was the closest they came.
In the 20th minute Knight made a good one-handed save to keep out Keiran Hall’s strike from 14 yards after turning Graham Fraser.
Soon after Bonnyrigg were almost left with an open goal when Dean Brett capitalised on a mix-up between Knight and Allan Macphee, but Ruari Fraser got back to clear.
But in the 33rd minute the Lowland League leaders did take the lead.
McGachie found Hall on the left side of the area and when played the ball across goal McGachie was on hand to score from close range.
Can-Cans go close
Forres required more attacking spark in the second period and they showed some four minutes after the restart.
Lee Fraser exchanged passes with Duncanson before stinging the palms of goalkeeper Michael Andrews with a shot from 25 yards.
A few minutes later Lee Fraser latched onto a loose touch but scuffed a left-footed effort from the edge of the area straight at Andrews.
In the 54th minute Paul Brindle weaved his way into the box on the right and his low ball was flicked on by Thomas Brady at the front post, but Andrews diverted the effort to safety.
However, Bonnyrigg were also still a threat with Hall firing over when well-positioned inside the box.
The game was becoming increasingly ragged with play raging from one end to other.
Midway through the second half Rose midfielder Scott Gray cracked a half-volley off the crossbar from 20 yards as the visitors looked for a potentially decisive second goal.
At the other end Soane dragged a free-kick from 25 yards wide of the target.
Forres had another opening on 75 minutes with Brady’s neat footwork on the right creating space, but his clipped cross evaded everyone in the area.
With nine minutes left sub George Hunter should have finished the tie when he burst through and shot beyond Knight, but Ruari Fraser got back to clear off the line.
The Can-Cans battled right to the end, but in the first minute of injury time Bonnyrigg netted their second with Hunter turning inside Ruari Fraser before shooting into the bottom let corner from 14 yards.