Proud Elgin City manager Gavin Price says last-minute Ayr United equaliser and eventual Scottish Cup exit was "heartbreaking" and gut-wrenching" experience
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Elgin City were seconds away from creating Scottish Cup history at Somerset Park - but defeat has left them heartbroken.
Leading through Kane Hester's record-equalling 26th goal of the season until the 90th minute, City conceded the latest of equalisers before going down to a 4-1 defeat to Ayr United after extra time in the fifth round tie.
Devastated manager Gavin Price paid tribute to his team's incredible performance on the day, and spoke about the emotions of losing out after having one foot in the quarter-finals.
"The overwhelming thing is pride in how the players did for 90 minutes," Price said. "Unfortunately we just couldn't see it through.
"I though we were excellent defensively, excellent organisationally and excellent on the ball at times, and creating chances.
"So it's gut-wrenching to be out of the cup. I thought we were there."
Match report: Ayr United 4 Elgin City 1.
Price said he was determined not to be on the receiving end of a hard luck story and felt the players gave everything in their quest to cause a cup upset against their Championship opponents.
"The effort of the players that they put into the game was first class as was the bravery that they showed. I can't ask any more of them.
"It's heart-breaking to lose the goal at the end.
"It was talked about at half time how we don't want to be a nearly team, the glorious losers or whatever.
"We didn't want that, we wanted to be in the quarter-finals.
"We had a plan to get there and the players carried it out to a T. Unfortunately we just couldn't finish the job off."
