Elgin City manager Gavin Price defended goalkeeper Thomas McHale after a rare mistake by the 24-year-old – with Declan Glass’ shot from long range squirming through McHale’s hands.
Borough Briggs boss Price was disappointed to concede the opener in such a manner, but McHale did make a string of second-half saves.
Price said: “At the stage where Cove score it’s an error from our goalkeeper, which he’s held his hands up to.
“These things happen and he saved us a couple of times in the second half and at the end of the game last week.
“Thomas has been fantastic this season and done really well for us. He’s saved us in games and got us points as a result of his saves.
“I said to the players at half-time that it was time for them to try to dig him out and get something out of the game.
“Unfortunately we couldn’t do it. Darryl McHardy at the end was my favourite to get on the end of a corner because he has a great record scoring headers, but he just mistimed the jump.
“Unfortunately Cove went up the field and scored from that and it was game over.”
Price was encouraged by some of Elgin’s play at the Balmoral Stadium.
Despite being without influential midfielder Brian Cameron and defender Stephen Bronsky, Elginy created a few good openings.
But Price still felt his charges could’ve done more in possession at times.
He added: “They started well, but we defended well and edged ourselves into the game and in the first half I think we created the better opportunities.
“We played well at stages in the second half. We tried to keep the ball, pass it better and take more risks in possession. I think that suited us and it meant we got into better areas.
“We just need to be braver in games like this. We were missing some good players.
“But we have good players there who on a good surface needed to try to play the game properly and pass the ball.
“We did that more in the second half and created more opportunities as a result.
“We were always open to the sucker punch and we didn’t defend the second goal well. The gameplan was to stay in the game in the second half. We were disappointed to be 1-0 down at half-time.
“But we wanted to stay in it and give ourselves a chance in the last 15 minutes.
“We passed the ball better and I’m pleased with the players – I can’t fault their efforts – but the first goal changed our gameplan.”
