Kevin McHattie insists Brechin City need to come back stronger next season after pyramid play-off disappointment.
The Hedgemen missed out on the chance to face Albion Rovers over two legs for a place in the SPFL next season after being defeated 4-3 on penalties by Spartans.
A 3-2 win for the Breedon Highland League champions in front of a crowd of 1,900 at Glebe Park on Saturday meant the tie finished level at 3-3 on aggregate only for the Lowland League winners to prevail.
Defender McHattie and Ewan Loudon were both thwarted by goalkeeper Blair Carswell in the shoot-out.
But McHattie, 29, believes Brechin can bounce back next term when they return for a third Highland League campaign.
He said: “It’s a tough one to take, but fair play to Spartans.
“Looking back the first leg has kind of done it for us, we weren’t quite at it last week and we were left with an uphill battle.
“The first goal came off me and went in. It was a good ball, I think Euan Spark got a flick, it hit the turf and hit me in the midriff and I’ve not got a chance to react.
“To be fair the boys fought back and made a game of it and penalties are penalties.
“I feel sorry for Ewan, he’s a good penalty taker who has done it in big games before and unfortunately this time it wasn’t our day.
“You’ve just got to go up and hit it, I played with Blair at Hearts, he’s a good keeper.
“If you look back in the first leg we hit the bar and we’ve hit the post at home, that’s football for you – it’s fine margins.
“We just need to dust ourselves down and go again next season.
“I’m signed for another two years and hopefully we can be back in the play-off next year.”
‘Embarrassing’
There was confusion at full-time with referee Grant Irvine unsure if the tie went to extra-time or straight to penalties, despite both clubs showing evidence it was the latter.
Brechin boss Andy Kirk was bitterly disappointed not to progress and the debate ahead of the shoot-out added to his frustration.
Kirk said: “It’s hard to put into words, it’s a devastating feeling for us.
“We concede two really poor goals and we conceded a horrific goal last week, it’s small margins in football.
“We had the league winning day up at Buckie where everyone’s on a high and quickly football can bring you back to your knees.
“It comes down to penalties and decision-making. Ewan steps up and he’s been good on penalties this season in the couple of shoot-outs we’ve had.
“But what he does is not what he’s done before and not what he practised, why change?
“If I’m being honest I think it’s a bit embarrassing for the SFA if the referee doesn’t know if it’s going straight to penalties.
“The referees are going by the rule-book and saying it’s extra-time but we’ve been sent an email to say it’s straight to penalties.
“It’s embarrassing, how can they not know that? It’s a play-off and it’s a massive game for both teams.
“If the rules are straight to penalties that’s the rules, if it’s extra-time that’s the rules.
“But we’re going off an email that was sent, I had to show the referee an email at half-time which said in black and white it was straight to penalties and Spartans had the same email.
“But by all accounts in the rule-book it’s extra-time so I don’t know.”
Thrills and spills
Brechin could have taken the lead inside the opening 45 seconds but Kieran Inglis’ curler from 25 yards clipped the outside of the left post.
Spartans broke the deadlock after quarter of an hour. Cameron Russell’s inswinging corner from the right was flicked on at the near post and bounced into the net off the unfortunate McHattie.
The home side struggled to create much in the first period but equalised seconds before half-time. The ball broke for Fraser MacLeod on the left side of the area and he drilled a right-footed shot into the bottom right corner.
In the 55th minute Spartans struck again to make it 3-1 on aggregate. Russell raced beyond Jamie Bain on the left and with City caught short in the middle he squared for Blair Henderson to tap home.
However, Brechin demonstrated great resilience to score twice and level the tie on aggregate in the space of 10 minutes.
On 61 minutes Botti Biabi’s ball across from the right side of the box was finished by Inglis from 15 yards.
Then four minutes later Spartans failed to fully clear Bain’s free-kick, MacLeod’s follow-up drive from 20 yards hit the left post and Biabi was on hand to head home the rebound.
Neither team could muster a winner in the final quarter and penalties were required.
Shoot-out pain
Henderson, Russell, Sean Brown and Jamie Dishington scored for Spartans while Inglis, Grady McGrath and Bain netted Brechin’s first three.
But then Carswell intervened to save from Loudon and McHattie to send Spartans through.
Manager Dougie Samuel said: “I tip my hat to Brechin, they’ve had a fantastic season, we knew we were playing the best team we’ve played all season.
“I’ve got a lot of respect for their coaching staff and clearly they’re a very good side.
“Although I was a bit frustrated I wouldn’t question my players’ character, drive and determination over the two games.
“They’re a tight group who care about each other, who knows if we’ve got another level in us, but I think we have and I hope that’s revealed over the next couple of weeks.”
Teams
Brechin City (3-4-1-2) – Wilson 6, Spark 7, Thomson 6, Bain 6; Scott 7, McArthur 6 (Loudon 56), MacLeod 8 (Northcott 79), McHattie 7; Inglis 8; McGrath 6, Biabi 7.
Subs not used – Koutsimouka, Cooney, McDonald, Cruickshank, Ferguson, Easton.
Spartans (4-4-1-1) – Carswell 7, Herd 6, Watson 7, Tapping 7, Allan 4 (Swann 27); Dishington 6, Armstrong 6 (Brown 70), Jones 7, Whyte 6; Russell 8; Henderson 7.
Subs not used – Penker, McFarland, Woods, Mackay, Morrison, Leek, Lamont.
Referee – Grant Irvine 6.
Man of the match – Kieran Inglis.