Elgin City crashed to defeat on Saturday after throwing away an interval lead against 10-man Albion and slip five points behind League Two leaders Queen’s Park.
Borough Briggs boss Gavin Price said: “They showed a lot of character which we knew they had, but in terms of the decisions we were disappointed, such as the free-kick which led to their first goal and the third goal was a nonsense, but we had lost the game by that time.
“We had a few warnings, but didn’t heed them.
“We didn’t create enough chances in the whole game, which we normally do, and I didn’t think we flowed.”
Elgin had only lost once in their previous nine clashes with the Coatbridge side, stretching back six years almost to the day. Such was Elgin’s dominance of this fixture that they had won on their last five trips to Cliftonhill since a 3-0 defeat back in December 2014.
Price added: “We have won the last five times here and at 1-0 we hadn’t earned the right to be cruising at half-time.
Price’s charges arrived brimming with confidence and aiming to stretch their successive league victories to four, while Rovers were hoping to get their first home win of a previously disappointing campaign.
Rovers appeared to be denied a clear penalty on 14 minutes when defender Stephen Bronsky seemed to haul down Paul Allan, but referee Chris Graham waved away ferocious appeals from the Cliftonhill side.
City finally shook off the shackles of the young Rovers defenders on 28 minutes when Matthew Cooper used his strength to get the first touch at the near post and head-flick Russell Dingwall’s corner over goalkeeper Chris Henry into the far corner of the net.
Rovers were level on 53 minutes when ex-Elgin striker Matthew Aitken smashed the ball home from 19 yards with a free-kick, albeit with the help of the junction of the crossbar and upright.
The Coatbridge side went in front on 70 minutes after a dreadful blunder by Elgin captain Euan Spark let Aitken in to net his second.
Rovers were reduced to 10 men on 89 minutes when Lewis Wilson was red carded for a second bookable offence, but they put the result beyond doubt deep into stoppage time when substitute Joe Moore burst clear to run on to a pass from Gregor Fotheringham and clip the ball past McHale into the net, although Bronsky appeared to have been taken out at the halfway line, and was fuming at referee Graham.
Bronsky said: “I have six stud marks in my knee, but by that time the game was gone.”
