Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
Murray: Airdrie were the better side
Boss Ian Murray admits he was gutted to exit the Tunnock’s Caramel Wafer Challenge Cup as a smash-and-grab saw Elgin through.
Kane Hester and Shane Sutherland’s penalty late goals were enough to send the Diamonds crashing out of the competition.
Murray told the Advertiser: “We dominated the match from start to finish but didn’t create a huge amount.
“With these types of matches there is always a sting in the tail and you’ve got to try and stop that.
“We’re really disappointed. We felt it was a real opportunity to get to a quarter final.
“I don’t think we played well enough to say we should have won the game by three or four goals. We were the better side, that was clear, but Elgin were well organised and had firepower going forward.”
Diamonds forward Ally Roy came close to producing the opener after a brave run from the right flank saw him cut inside, and brought a great save out of Thomas McHale after 19 minutes.
A well-worked move down the right between Kurtis Roberts and Callum Smith allowed Dean Hawkshaw to get a low drive away, but his shot was smothered after 31 minutes.
Against the run of play Elgin came close just before half time as a whipped Daniel McKay cross cannoned off Callum Fordyce, but it curled just wide of the post.
With five minutes on the clock, MacDonald put Smith through one-on-one but he shot straight at the keeper at the key moment.
The visitors took the lead as after 88 minutes Brian Cameron’s flick-on found Hester to put the ball into the net.
There was to be yet more drama as Fordyce brought down Omar in injury time for Sutherland to slot home.