Tony Dingwall reflects on Brora Rangers’ ‘brilliant’ season after coming up short in pyramid play-offs

Tony Dingwall says defeat in the pyramid play-offs doesn’t detract from Brora Rangers’ stellar season.

The Cattachs’ hopes of promotion to the SPFL were extinguished on Saturday as they drew 3-3 with East Kilbride at Dudgeon Park, meaning the Lowland League champions progress 7-4 on aggregate to the play-off final against Bonnyrigg Rose.

However, it’s been an incredible season for Brora as they won a treble for first time in their history by lifting the Breedon Highland League, the R Davidson (Banchory) Highland League Cup and the North of Scotland Cup.

It was also the first time since 1954 that a club has won every competition they play in at Highland League level in the same campaign.

Midfielder Dingwall said: “In pre-season and at the start of the season the management team rebuilt the squad and at the start of the season I don’t think anyone fancied us to win the league.

“But here we are at the end of the season having won a treble. Looking back on it, it’s been a brilliant season.

“We’ve fallen a wee bit short in the play-offs, but the experience of being involved in the play-offs will do us good going forward.

“When we come back next season we’ll be ready to go again and hopefully we can get ourselves back in this position competing in the play-offs again.”

Cattachs gave it their best shot

At one stage on Saturday it looked like Brora could overturn their 4-1 first leg deficit as goals from Dingwall, Alex Cooper and Shane Sutherland had them 3-1 up.

However, Joao Balde’s strike and Scott Ferguson’s penalty earned East Kilbride a draw.

Dingwall added: “We had nothing to lose so we went out to have a go and see what happened.

“For a while things looked quite promising. We had them rattled for a spell, but it didn’t quite work out for us.

“We restored some pride and although it’s a sore one to take just now it doesn’t spoil a great season.

“We knew it was a mammoth task coming into the second leg, we let ourselves down last week.

“To a man we weren’t good enough and we let ourselves down.

“We had a mountain to climb, but we gave it a good go and at 3-1 up you’re not sure what might happen.

“Then we got hit with a sucker-punch with their second goal which kind of killed the tie.

“But credit to East Kilbride they’re a good side and we’ve got nothing to be ashamed of.”