Chris Aitken insists he is in it for the long haul at Kilwinning Rangers after an injury-time defeat at Arthurlie sent his side closer to the dreaded West of Scotland League Premier Division drop.
On a dramatic afternoon with jeopardy and tension filling the air in Barrhead, 10-man Buffs thought they had done enough to secure a point.
Ally McColm had wiped out an opener from Gary Carroll who went on to miss a first-half penalty.
Buffs were numerically disadvantaged in the 65th minute when Kenny Marshall was sent-off for after picking up a second booking for cleaning out Dale Simeon.
However, it looked as if they had held on for a point until substitute Gary Smith touched home at the near post to give Arthurlie a priceless 2-1 win.
The result leaves Buffs second-bottom of the Premier Division ahead of tonight's trip to basement boys Cambuslang Rangers.
Aitken’s men go there eight points adrift of safety but still with two games in hand on Arthurlie.
The gaffer said: “We’re disappointed obviously. We came here to win a game of football and everybody knows how big the game was. It wasn’t to be but it is what it is. We need to dust ourselves down.
“I’ve told the players in there that feeling sorry for yourself gets you nowhere in life – I’m certainly not going to feel sorry for myself.
“I came here to do a job and I guarantee I will do that job. It might not be this season and if it’s not this season, it will need to be next season.
“It’s disappointing. It’s raw. But if you’re involved in football it’s one of these days we need to put behind us.”
Arthurlie opened the scoring in the 18th minute when a superb reverse pass from Lee Roulston set free Carroll who found the top corner of the net.
But Carroll blazed a penalty over the bar after keeper Ally McInnes brought down Max Kerr in the box.
Carroll had a goal ruled out for offside before Buffs levelled when McColm netted at the second attempt.
Marshall was red-carded then Michael MacNeil thought he’d won it for Arthurlie in the 86th minute but the goal was disallowed. However, Smith converted from a Simeon cross to clinch the points for ‘Lie in the closing stages.
“The sending-off gave us an uphill task but my boys are giving me everything,” Aitken added afterwards.
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