Steven Mackay's pride as Brora Rangers bow out of play-offs
Brora Rangers boss Steven Mackay was proud of his players despite their pyramid play-off defeat to East Kilbride.
The Breedon Highland League champions drew 3-3 with their Lowland League counterparts at Dudgeon Park, a result which means East Kilbride progress 4-7 on aggregate to face Bonnyrigg Rose in the play-off final.
At one point in the second half the Cattachs – who won the treble of the Highland League, R Davidson (Banchory) Highland League Cup and North of Scotland Cup this term – led 3-1 and it looked like they could overturn the 4-1 deficit from the first leg.
But their hopes of promotion were snuffed out and manager Mackay said: 'I'm really proud of how the boys responded after last week.
'We underperformed last week and our pride was dented. We gave ourselves a huge mountain to climb, but we almost got to the summit.
'Their second goal hands all the momentum back to East Kilbride at such an important point in the game.
'That relaxed them and it ended up 3-3, which I don't think is a fair reflection, I felt we were good value to win this game.
'However, the reality is the damage was done last week.
'We've had a phenomenal season and I'm really proud of them because the effort they've put in this season has been incredible.
'At our first pre-season training session we had seven players and Shane Sutherland who hadn't kicked a ball in two years.
'To go from that to what we've achieved this season is huge credit to the players.
'We've come up short, the play-offs are tough, this is my third go at it and it doesn't get any easier, but we'll learn from it and it will stand us in good stead.'
In the early stages East Kilbride's Cameron Elliott had a header and a follow-up shot from Regan Mimnaugh's corner blocked at close quarters by the Brora defence.
But it was the Cattachs who broke the deadlock in the 13th minute to reduce their aggregate arrears.
Tony Dingwall's driving run took him towards the edge of the box before he passed to Shane Sutherland, the striker did well to control and find the perfect return pass which set up Dingwall to score from eight yards.
Eleven minutes later East Kilbride equalised when John Robertson was given too much time at the edge of the penalty area to let fly and his left-foot shot flashed into the roof of the net.
However, within a minute Brora retook the lead to make it 3-5 on aggregate. Alex Cooper's inswinging corner from the right was whipped into the front post and was eventually clawed out of the goalmouth by goalkeeper Craig Truesdale.
But referee Daniel Graves and assistant Michael Macdermid ruled the ball had crossed the line and gave the goal, despite visiting protests that the ball wasn't over the line and that Truesdale had been fouled.
Despite still being two goals ahead on aggregate East Kilbride appeared nervy and Brora probed at the start of the second half for another goal.
After Dingwall's 35-yard lob landed on the roof of the net the Cattachs did bag their third of the afternoon in the 56th minute to make it 4-5 on aggregate.
Max Ewan did brilliantly on the right flank to wriggle out of a challenge, he then played a one-two with Tom Kelly before crossing for Sutherland to sweep into the net from 10 yards.
Unfortunately the home side conceded again within two minutes as Nathan Flanagan crossed from the left and Elliott's flick on presented Joao Balde with a tap-in at the back post.
The concession of the second goal halted Brora's momentum and in the 78th minute East Kilbride secured their spot in the play-off final.
Wallace Duffy was adjudged to have tripped sub Scott Ferguson and after referee Graves pointed to the spot, Ferguson fired the penalty into the bottom left corner.
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