A season that had promised so much for Arbroath ended in a cruel manner as they dropped out of the promotion play-offs after losing a late goal to Queen’s Park.
Hampden skipper Tony Quinn shot home the afternoon’s only goal with just two minutes of extra time left to squeeze the hosts through on a 3-2 aggregate score-line.
A deflated Gayfield striker Bobby Linn said: “Football is a cruel game sometimes and it was to us in this game. I have been involved in a couple of play-offs disappointment before and that is the sorest one.
“I looked at the clock when they got the corner and all I was thinking about was that we need to defend this. Keep it tight and we have penalties but we never got there.”
With so much at stake after Wednesday night’s first leg tie it was a nervous encounter with Arbroath having the clearer chances without finding a way past home shot-stopper Willie Muir.
In the first half Ricky Little could have calmed Red Lichtie nerves when he rose to meet a Dylan Carreiro free kick but he headed over from a good position.
The second 45 minutes saw Linn twice denied by Muir and just when it looked like Simon Murray had marked his last game in maroon colours with a curling finish from 18 yards Muir leapt high to his left to push the ball away.
With penalties looming ever closer Marc McCallum punched out a corner but the ball dropped to Quinn who sent a volley home.