Airdrie boss Ian Murray says his Diamonds would be top of League One right now but for some painful moments late on in recent games.
In Saturday's 2-2 draw at Montrose Dylan Easton missed a penalty that would have delivered all three points, while a fortnight ago Murray's men conceded a stoppage time equaliser when they looked on course to down league leaders Cove.
Muray knows if those key moments - which came either side of Cove drawing with Queen's Park - had gone for his side they would be top of the pile, but instead they are now five points adrift of Cove with three games remaining.
Airdrie are 17 games unbeaten yet they now need an almighty collapse from Cove - currently on a 23-game streak undefeated - to snatch the title.
And Murray said: "It's small margins. If not for a last minute goal from Cove and a missed penalty we'd be top of the league right now.
"That's how close it has been for us.
"If someone offered us a 17-game unbeaten run we would have expected to be top of the league.
"But this season there's two very good sides who have put extraordinary runs together.
"It's been so tight.
"Overall we have to remain focused, calm and positive because the boys have done great this season.
"They put everything into the game on Saturday and they emptied themselves on the pitch.
"If it is settled sooner rather than later, it gives us a bit of time to regroup and re-energise ourselves for the final big push.
"All is not lost and we need to remember where we came from in the first four games of the season."
Easton has been Mr Dependable for the Diamonds this season and Murray has backed his man to bounce back from that disappointment in time for the visit of Dumbarton on Saturday.
He added: "We'll keep Dylan going.
"He has been magnificent for us this season. He's been a breath of fresh air for the league and I think everyone enjoys watching Dylan playing.
"He's one of those guys who bounces back well, he's so enthusiastic, so we have no worries over him.
"He knows he should do better with the penalty but that's football. He's missed the target, which is tough to take for him and us, but it's a missed penalty at the end of the day.
"We can look back on many individual errors this season, but we win as a team and we draw as a team.
"We will keep pushing and see where we are after the next game."
Follow Lanarkshire Live Sport on Twitter via @LanLiveSport, like us on Facebook or find us on Instagram for the latest sports news, pictures and video.
