Gutted Colin Spence insisted the 'best team lost' after Auchinleck Talbot ended Irvine Meadow's Scottish Junior Cup dream in dramatic fashion.
The Medda co-boss watched Talbot come from behind twice to clinch a 3-2 win in the dying minutes of yesterday's fourth round thriller at Beechwood Park.
Defeat was tough to take for Spence - particularly as he felt Meadow created and missed the tie's best opportunities.
But he was also left fuming after Meadow were denied what he insisted was a stonewall penalty shortly before Craig McCracken's 88th minute winner.
Medda sub Ryan McKie appeared to have his right leg swept away from him by Jamie Glasgow as Meadow laid siege to the Talbot goal.
And Spence reckons referee Chris Gentles bottled out of awarding a spot kick having already given Meadow one earlier in the half which put them 2-1 in front.
He said: "It was probably more of a penalty than the first one. It comes into the stonewall category for me.
"There's a big melee leading up to it and we're unlucky not to score. I don't know if the referee got caught up in the excitement.
"For me, he's bottled it from making a big call and giving us a second penalty.
"That would puts us 3-2 ahead with minutes to go and for me that was the big decision in the game.
"I suppose you don't get them at Beechwood."
Spence insisted his players couldn't have done much more on the day - although he admitted disappointment at the manner of the goals they lost.
He added: "We came up here with a game plan and the players carried it out to a tee. Quite simply the best team lost.
"Unfortunately we didn't carry that wee bit of luck. Talbot seem to get a wee bit of luck in the cup and they've got a big piece today.
"We should have been in front going into the last five minutes but, also, you need to take your chances.
"That's the lesson we learn in these games.
"It's very avoidable goals. That's probably the biggest disappointing aspect.
"Talbot haven't cut us open or smashed one in the net from 25 or 30 yards.
"But I'm so proud of the boys. To a man they came here and stood up to the challenge.
"I'm gutted for them . For the effort they put in they deserve to be in the quarter finals".
A bizarre Mick Wardrope goal with just six minutes on the clock gave Meadow an early head start before Graham Wilson's clinical close range finish levelled the score just before the hour mark.
Meadow quickly re-took the lead through skipper Mark McLennan's penalty after Wardrope was barged over in the box.
But Keir Samson restored parity with a brilliant glancing header before an end-to-end last 20 minutes was decided by defender McCracken's aerial prowess.
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