Peterhead manager Jim McInally felt Cove Rangers’ quality told in a game where his side struggled to create chances.
A depleted Blue Toon side were game opponents and certainly grafted for the cause, even if they were unable to fashion too many opportunities at goal.
He was, however, pleased with the way his side stuck together and did not crumble after going two goals down, reserving praise for young Dundee loanee Lyall Cameron for his performance out wide.
McInally said: “A wee bit of quality wins it for them. I thought we started the game really well, for the first half-hour, but I felt as soon as they scored you could see a bit of confidence draining out of our players.
“We didn’t have enough going forward and conceded a soft second goal, where we should have cleared it. I thought we could have capitulated but the wee boys up front got tore in.
“It must have been poor to watch, but we’ve no complaints. I don’t think there was much between the teams, but their bit of quality won it.”
McInally had named two trialists on the bench but found out on the morning of the game both were ineligible to play, as they had not been registered 48 hours prior to the game.
He added: “We were limited – we only had one substitute. We found out our two trialists were ineligible before the game, which was quite annoying as apparently you have to register them 48 hours before now. No one had told us that.
“Isaac wasn’t fit either. He’s not far away. Gary McKenzie wanted to play but he was out for a month last season and had brain scans. Although he was putting himself up to play, it’s a game of football.”