Garry Wood says Montrose will be a different side back home against Brora Rangers – after their 92-year national league existence was put in dire peril on Saturday.
The former Caley Thistle striker missed a great early chance for the Gable Endies but saw his side out-performed by the Highland league champions through much of a difficult afternoon.
While there was an element of good fortune about Marvin Andrews’ own goal, Brora had the better chances and Wood’s former Inverness team-mate Zander Sutherland missed a golden opportunity near the end.
Wood, the Montrose skipper, acknowledged: “We are very disappointed and know we were poor. We don’t need the manager to tell us that.
“But we are still in it. 1-0 is a slender lead and hopefully we can get a big crowd behind us back at Montrose and put them to the sword.
“I just don’t think we got started. I missed a good chance in the first half and if I’d taken that it might have been a different game.”
He added: “We know we’ve got 90 minutes to make sure we’re still in League Two next year.
“We’ll be fired up for the second leg and ready to go. Hopefully we can put on a better performance than today.”
After 19 minutes, Wood raced clean through on keeper Joe Malin but sliced his shot high and wide.
Brora claimed the all-important goal after 39 minutes when a huge clearance from Malin reached the edge of the away penalty area.
Andrews leapt in an aerial challenge with Brora striker Steven Mackay but his skimmed backward header flew into his own net.
In the second half, Brora controlled much of the play against the disjointed League Two side and, but for Sutherland’s miss, could have taken a more handsome lead with them next Saturday.
Paul Hegarty, the man tasked with saving Montrose from the dreaded exit, tore into his players in the dressing room after the match.
He said: “I thought Brora Rangers were the better team. We had only three or four players who merited pass-marks.
“Normally in those circumstances, you get thumped and we were very fortunate today to come away with 1-0. Normally Brora are clinical up top.
“I’ve told the players exactly what I think and I’m not going to repeat myself. I don’t fancy going through that again.
“League tables don’t lie. That’s why we’re bottom of the league. I knew what I was letting myself in for and my only concern is to keep Montrose in the SPFL.”