Defiant Airdrieonians gaffer Ian Murray insists he is not giving up on their title hopes, despite falling seven points behind leaders Partick Thistle with a narrow 1-0 defeat at Firhill.
The Diamonds came agonisingly close to earning a point when Calum Gallagher struck the post in the fourth minute of stoppage time, but Brian Graham's first-half strike was all that separated the sides in a real game of two halves.
The Jags could have been out of sight by the break if not for a string of superb saves from Airdrie No.1 Max Currie denying them a more handsome lead at the break.
Murray's men upped the ante in the second half, but just couldn't find a way through to leave them trailing the leaders by seven points going into their final three games.
But he isn't giving up hope after insisting his side should have taken something from the game.
Asked if it was now Partick's title to lose - with the Jags also holding a four-point gap at the summit from fellow rivals Cove and Falkirk - Murray said: "It is, they are top of the league.
"But it is still game on.
"Cove Rangers and Falkirk will have other ideas, we certainly have other ideas but we understand it is very difficult now.
"We have to concentrate on ourselves.
"But if there is one thing we've learned in this league over the last two or three years, trying to call it at any point is very difficult.
"It's very disappointing we didn't get anything from the game.
"I didn't think there was much between the teams in terms of the 90 minutes.
"I felt Partick were the better team first half - by a distance - and second half we were the better team by a distance.
"On another day Cal's shot that hits the post goes in the net.
"Overall I felt we were worth a point, perhaps not on the first half but certainly on the second half.
"I'm as disappointed as anybody because I felt we deserved something and it was a huge game."
Currie will feel deflated that his heroics didn't lead to his side taking something.
And Murray, whose side now head to Montrose on Tuesday night, added: "Max has done great.
"I'm disappointed he's not got a clean sheet to go with it - and the defence as well - but we move on now to Tuesday night, it's as simple as that.
"The last six games the guys have been excellent.
"We haven't played as well as we wanted today, so we have to acknowledge that and respect that but we also say, come on guys, let's keep going and push towards those play-offs now.
"We come in tomorrow and we feel rubbish and stuff, but we've been here before. We'll pick ourselves up."
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