Gavin Price felt his Elgin City side deserved no better than they got as they went down 3-1 to Cowdenbeath in Fife.
The main source of Price’s frustration centered on a 10-minute spell in the first half when the home men converted two penalties to give them the basis for their victory.
Cowden’s first spot-kick came 14 minutes in, when Liam Buchanan was felled in the box by Elgin skipper Euan Spark. Buchanan dusted himself down to calmly roll the ball into the bottom right corner.
Buchanan would be on the spot again shortly afterwards, this time after Archie MacPhee was adjudged to have fouled Robbie Buchanan during a collision in the area.
Buchanan went the other way with his penalty the second time around, leaving Daniel Hoban in the Elgin goal with no chance.
Price said: “We didn’t do enough to win the game, it’s a poor start to the game again then we switch off.
“Whether the first penalty is a penalty I am not sure, I will need to watch the video, but I don’t think it was. The second probably is.
“It has given them a lift. I thought we have ended the first half really well, we have went on the front foot and deservedly got a goal back. Unfortunately we didn’t carry it into the second half.”
Price was right to say the visitors did not lie down after conceding twice from the penalty spot, and they had their lifeline on 36 minutes when a well-worked set-piece saw MacPhee’s delivery from deep fall to Darryl McHardy – via defensive partner Spark – to tap home from close range.
This gave City the lift they needed and they should have been level 10 minutes into the second half.
A long ball over the top was not dealt with by Cowden as Jamie Todd’s back header fell short. Kane Hester was on to it, but home goalkeeper Cameron Gill was quick out of the traps to get out and smother Hester’s effort.
As the half progressed, it looked like the Borough Briggs men were running short on ideas as the hosts created the better chances, and Buchanan will feel he should have completed his hat-trick, but Hoban had other ideas, making a sprawling save.
Buchanan would then turn provider as the home men put the game to bed on 81 minutes. He threaded the ball through to substitute Luke Mahady, who made no mistake with what must have been his first touch, having only come on a couple of minutes prior.
City would continue to endeavour, but no goals would come as they tasted defeat in the league for the first time this season.
Boss Price added: “We had a good chance to go level, but it is one that needs to go for you and it didn’t.
“It’s the switching off prior to the first goal that’s the warning – these are important moments in the game. People need to be switched on and think first and foremost defensively.”