Formartine United manager Stuart Anderson praised their character following their derby victory against Inverurie Locos at Harlaw Park.
The Pitmedden side were in the ascendancy for the bulk of the contest after Matthew McLean’s early opener.
But they couldn’t increase their advantage hitting the woodwork twice and having a penalty saved.
Locos equalised with Calum Dingwall’s penalty 11 minutes from time, but Formartine recovered to win 2-1 courtesy of Johnny Crawford’s 90th minute spot-kick.
United have won three of their four Breedon Highland League fixtures.
Anderson said: “Performance-wise I couldn’t ask for any more from the guys.
“We were unfortunate not to be three or four up at half-time. When you don’t get the goals there’s always the chance of it going level when it’s only 1-0.
“When it did go to 1-1 it could have flattened us because of how we’d played – but it didn’t – it spurred us on.
“We hit the post, we hit the bar, we missed a penalty, we had a few off the line.
“It just felt it like was one of those nights, but credit to the boys for their character.
“They didn’t lose belief even when it went to 1-1, we finished the stronger team and we’re delighted to get the win.”
Fast start
McLean broke the deadlock on six minutes, lashing home from 10 yards after Aidan Combe’s strike from a Daniel Park corner had been blocked.
Shortly after Park was slipped through by Julian Wade but hit the left post.
On 16 minutes Railwaymen goalkeeper Andy Reid sent Paul Campbell tumbling when trying to punch the ball clear.
After referee Owen Lawrence pointed to the spot Reid redeemed himself with an excellent save down to his right to thwart Campbell.
Early in the second period Locos striker Garry Wood had a header tipped over by custodian Ewen Macdonald.
At the other end Reid saved from Kieran Adams and Aidan Combe’s curling effort from 20 yards crashed off the crossbar.
On 79 minutes Inverurie levelled when Crawford was ruled to have tripped Glen Donald at a corner and Dingwall fired down the middle from the spot.
United prevailed in the 90th minute when Logan Johnstone pulled down Wade inside the area and Crawford found the right corner from 12 yards.
Deep into injury time Locos defender Mark Souter was sent off tripping Wade as he raced through on goal.
Penalties were blow for Low
Inverurie have taken no points from their first three games.
Boss Andy Low said: “Over the piece Formartine were the better side.
“But sometimes you need to ride your luck and I thought we were doing that, we were defending things and putting our bodies in front of things.
“I don’t think the officials have helped us, I don’t see a penalty in the game.
“In my opinion there were no penalties in that game. I didn’t seen anybody appealing for them and I’m disappointed.
“We know that Formartine were the better team, but when you’re working hard to try to get results you need a bit of consistency from the officials and I don’t think we got that.”