The lowest point of his football career.
That is how Forfar manager Gary Bollan described the League Two title finally slipping from his grasp as the Loons’ stuttering end to the regular season saw them capitulate to an Annan side they now face twice in a week in the play-off semi-final.
Even as Arbroath themselves stumbled over the finishing line by dropping points, Forfar failed to take advantage and secure the win that would have seen the helicopter carrying the silverware land at Station Park rather than Forthbank.
“To be honest, I’m stuck for words,” said Bollan at the end of the 4-2 defeat by Annan.
“I think emotions have got the better of me today.
“It is a really hard one to take after being at the top of the table for so long.
“Our first-half performance cost us, we defended poorly.
“We should have been ahead before we were behind. That would have settled it if we had gone one up.
“We managed to get ourselves back in the game at 3-2 and I thought we had a shout for a penalty which could have levelled things with 10 minutes to go and at that stage I would have fancied us.
“You could see in the second half it was wave and wave of attacks and we were pushing and pushing for a goal but we just could not get level and give us that 10 minutes to try and get in front.
“We are all feeling it, we are all hurting, but the thing is, as much as we are hurting today, we have got another opportunity.
“We have to get back up for Wednesday night now and come out fighting. We have another chance to go and win promotion.
“As disappointing as it is not to win the league, we have got to grasp this opportunity. We are more than capable of doing that.”
Bollan agreed that securing promotion to League One via the play-offs would go some way to erasing the horror of throwing away the title.
“If we can get promotion through the play-offs that would make up for the disappointment of today. It makes the season finish on a little bit of a high.
“This is the lowest I’ve had in my career, playing and managing. However, I’m big enough and strong enough to get the players bouncing back and ready for Wednesday.”
Forfar thought they had started in perfect fashion when they found the net after only five minutes, when Jim Lister finished after Alex Mitchell pushed away a Josh Peters’ shot. However, the assistant’s flag cut short the celebrations.
Moments later, Lister was clear through on goal but dragged his shot inches past the foot of the post.
Forfar’s championship mountain was made a whole lot harder to climb in the 14th minute when Peter Watson picked up in the Forfar box and stabbed the ball home from just six yards.
Gavin Swankie tried to lift the incredibly flat atmosphere as news from Arbroath’s game filtered through. He made room for a snap shot but it flew wide.
But the mood tumbled again in the 36th minute when Annan doubled their lead. Smart Osadolor was allowed to twist and turn in the Forfar box he slid the ball home from 12 yards.
Two minutes later, Annan looked to have put the outcome beyond doubt when Max Wright broke away and finished neatly from a tight angle on the right.
Michael Travis rescued a tiny bit of pride for Forfar four minutes from the break with a powerful header from a Danny Denholm free kick. Mitchell then made a brilliant finger-tip save to deny Swankie moments later.
Hope was resurrected further in the 53rd minute when Tam O’Brien nodded home in a crowded box from a Swankie corner.
Eddie Malone and O’Brien then had efforts blocked on the line but David McKenna should have removed all doubt when he chipped over the bar with only the keeper to beat.
Forfar kept pressing and Jim Lister somehow headed away from goal when he had a clear chance.
Annan again cleared off their line before a huge Forfar penalty claim was turned down, Marc Scott booked for simulation when he looked to have been felled in the box.
But with two minutes left, the title chances evaporated as Annan broke upfield and Aiden Smith rolled into an empty net as Forfar were left totally exposed at the back.
Forfar travel to face Annan at Galabank on Wednesday night in the first leg of the semi before the return at Station Park on Saturday.
Season tickets are not valid for the home tie but the Loons have reduced admission prices to £10 for adults and £5 for concessions.
