Peterhead boss Jim McInally bemoaned his side’s profligacy in front of goal after they were beaten 1-0 by Airdrieonians at Balmoor.
Jonathan Afolabi netted the game’s only goal to inflict a third successive defeat on the Blue Toon.
The result sees the Diamonds remain five points behind Cinch League One leaders Cove Rangers while Peterhead stay ninth, two points below eighth place Dumbarton.
McInally was pleased with the way his side played but admitted his side were made to pay for their profligacy.
He said: “We just need to keep playing the way we’ve been playing and at some point we’ll get a wee break.
“We had a bad spell after they scored for about 10 minutes and you could see the shoulders had slumped.
“It wasn’t even the case that they scored a good goal, I think there was two mis-kicks before it fell to their player.
“At the other end, we had bad luck and bad finishing.
“We were on top of the game and we told them at half-time to keep playing that way and they did.
“I just spoke to someone from Airdrie and they said it was daylight robbery but I get fed up having this conversation.
“It’s a results based business, it’s about scoring goals and we’re not doing that. You need to have a clean sheet to get a point if you’re not scoring but even that was beyond us.
“Their energy is good, they’re playing some good stuff so it’s tough.”
After a slow start, Calum Gallagher was the first to have a sight of goal for the visitors but his effort was well saved by Brett Long.
At the other end, Andrew McCarthy’s long range shot was held by Max Currie at the second attempt.
The game’s only goal arrived in the 27th minute when a Rhys McCabe pass was expertly finished by the left foot of Afolabi.
The Blue Toon started a lot brighter in the second half and Hamish Ritchie pulled a 25-yard shot just wide before the same player produced a great save from Currie in the Airdrie goal.
Niah Payne was next to try his luck for Peterhead but his effort from an angle flashed just wide.
Substitute Scott McGill should have made in 2-0 for Airdrie when he was played in by Gallagher but managed to screw his effort just wide.
Russell McLean, on for Ryan Duncan, had a great chance to equalise but after rounding Currie his goal-bound effort was blocked on the line by Callum Fordyce.
Midfielder Hamish Ritchie agreed with his manager’s assessment of the match.
He said: “It’s been the story of the last few games to be honest.
“We were the better team again, we played really well and created a lot of chances.
“I’ve got to score mine when I had the chance inside the six yard box.
“They’ve not created much, they’ve had two real chances in the whole game and they scored one and missed the second.
“It’s going to turn eventually, we’ve been so unlucky in the last few games and it’s only a matter of time before things start to turn around.”
