Gavin Price was thrilled Elgin City overcome the test of nerve to advance past Drumchapel United into the last-16 of the Scottish Cup.
Drumchapel struck an early blow when Dominic McLaren put them ahead, however a quick response saw City level through Dylan Lawrence.
Kane Hester’s second half goal secured a deserved passage for the Black and Whites.
The result secures a fifth round tie away to either Cove Rangers or Ayr United, who meet in their rescheduled fixture next Tuesday.
Price insists he always anticipated a difficult challenge against Drumchapel, who are third in the West of Scotland First Division.
He said: “I’m delighted to get through the tie first and foremost. We didn’t make it easy for ourselves, through our own doing from a very sluggish start.
“We were disappointed with that as we wanted to start the game well. We were well aware it was always going to be a sticky game, there was no doubt about that.
“They will probably be in the West of Scotland Premier League next season – they are a good side.
“We responded well and I’m glad we got the goal back. We should have had a second just before half-time, and in the second half we created a number of chance but we just weren’t clinical enough.
“You are always nervous when it’s 2-1, especially playing up the hill, but I’m just pleased to get through. Well done to Drumchapel because they gave us a big fright by getting the early goal, and we had to work really hard to win the game.”
The visitors struck first on 18 minutes. After a corner had initially been cleared Deas saw his strike blocked on the edge of the box, with the ball falling for McLaren who angled a low effort beyond the reach of Thomas McHale.
Elgin responded superbly however, pulling back level within three minutes. The ball was played to the feet of Lawrence down the inside left channel, and from a narrow angle he powered an excellent effort which beat Blair Lochhead at his near post.
Hester was presented with a chance on 34 minutes after latching on to a superb Dingwall through ball, however Elgin’s leading scorer snatched his effort wide.
The two combined again moments later, with Dingwall this time sending a strike straight into Lochhead’s arms.
Dingwall was denied again on 37 minutes, with Lochhead doing well to keep hold of the midfielder’s effort after he had been picked out by Antoniazzi.
Elgin had the ball in the net on the stroke of half-time when McHardy scrambled home a Dingwall corner at the far post, however referee Chris Fordyce pulled it back after spotting a foul on Lochhead.
Having weathered the storm at the end of the first half the visitors looked to start the second half brightly, with Jack Breen testing McHale with a strike from long-range.
It was Elgin who continued to push however, with Jake Dolzanski sending a header off the crossbar from Antoniazzi’s free-kick on 50 minutes.
Hester was next to threaten, striking an effort into the side-netting, but the forward was not to be denied on 64 minutes. After taking down Cameron’s through ball, Hester went through and rifled an excellent low finish past Lochhead for his 25th goal of the season.
Hester was denied by the post with another effort in stoppage time, however Elgin held on to secure their progression.
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