Brora Rangers manager Craig Campbell was disappointed despite his side staging a late comeback to draw 4-4 with Formartine United at North Lodge Park.
The Cattachs were trailing 4-2 with eight minutes to go but salvaged a point from the Breedon Highland League encounter.
However, they missed out on the chance to move within a point of league leaders Fraserburgh and instead sit in fourth place, three points off the summit.
Campbell said: “Eventful would be one way to describe it. It wasn’t particularly enjoyable. We conceded poor goals, which isn’t like us.
“When you concede four goals, you give yourself an uphill task. We showed a lot character to pull it back to 4-4. Although we’ve got a point, it still feels like a defeat.
“When we defend like that and concede soft goals, you give yourself a tough task.
“We take a positive from the boys digging in and showing character.
“We’ve got a point in the end and there’s a lot of football still to be played, but you can’t help but feel disappointed.
“It’s about getting wins and keeping the pressure on. We’ve dropped two points and it could have been three.”
United frustration
Formartine boss Paul Lawson was also frustrated, and said: “I’m very disappointed. When you get into the position we were in and lose two late goals, there’s a mixture of anger and disappointment.
“We played some good stuff at times and to score four goals against Brora is no mean feat.
“When you score four goals you expect to win – and Brora will say the same.
“We need to be better at seeing the game out. There’s one or two lads I’m really disappointed with. We’ve had words and they know who they are, because they let the team down.”
Enthralling encounter
It was Brora who were first to threaten in the third minute with Martin Maclean’s curling effort from the left side of the area crashing off the crossbar.
But seconds later the visitors did take the lead with Maclean’s through ball releasing Andrew Macrae and he rounded goalkeeper Ewen Macdonald before finishing from an acute angle.
Formartine were quick to hit back and levelled two minutes later when Graeme Rodger’s pinpoint pass found Daniel Park on the right and he galloped through on goal and fired into the bottom left corner.
In the 12th minute United took the lead with Jonny Smith finding the right corner after referee Greg Soutar awarded a penalty when Rodger was tripped by Ally MacDonald.
Three minutes later Brora goalkeeper Joe Malin made a fingertip save to turn Scott Lisle’s strike from 25 yards on to the left post.
After the flurry of goalmouth action in the early stages, the game settled down with the next decent opening not arriving until the 40th minute.
Jordan MacRae’s cutback from the right found Tom Kelly, but his side-footed shot grazed the outside of the left post on its way wide.
But Brora equalised from the penalty spot in the first minute of first half stoppage time.
Formartine had failed to clear from a Dale Gillespie corner and Andrew Macrae was caught by Jonny Crawford’s boot as he tried to head the ball into the net.
After Soutar awarded the penalty, Gillespie slotted the ball into the bottom left corner.
Formartine hit front
In the 55th minute Formartine retook the lead with Park skipping in from the right flank and rolling the ball across for Lisle and, although Joe Malin saved his shot, Kevin Hanratty was on hand to fire home the rebound.
After falling behind Brora penned the hosts in for a spell, but, despite some searching crosses, they struggled to carve out clear-cut chances.
In the 74th minute Formartine increased their lead with Lisle capitalising on a short header back towards Malin from Maclean by stabbing the ball home from close range.
With eight minutes left Brora gave themselves hope of salvaging something when Gillespie reached the bye-line on the right and teed up Andrew Macrae for a tap-in.
In the fourth minute of injury time, the Cattachs did equalise with Gillespie bursting into the box and, although his initial shot was saved, he slid in to force home the rebound.