Elgin City crashed to a five-goal defeat at Airdrieonians to end their interest in the KDM Evolution Trophy at the first knockout stage.

Manager Stefan Laird pointed to individual errors in his post-match interview with the club’s social media team.

But he praised 16-year-old schoolboy Calum McKay, who impressed in his starting debut for City against League 1 opponents.

Laird has used the competition to give minutes to fringe players or youngsters, and he once again changed things up for Tuesday’s match.

McKay, Darryl McHardy, Owen Cairns, Lyall Booth, Kieron Willox, Calum Brown and keeper Joe Morrison were all brought in as part of seven changes made to the starting line-up from the 1-0 win at Kelty on Saturday.

Elgin were behind after just two minutes, trailed 2-0 at the break and found Airdrie’s quality too much in the second half.

Lewis Gibson, Gavin Gallagher, Matt Yates, Reghan Tumilty and Robbie Mahon all netted on a comfortable night for the Diamonds.

“I thought the whole first half we were pretty decent to be fair,” said Laird.

“It was the worst possible start, but I thought we settled into the game fine after that, and I thought we actually played some good stuff.

“They played a strong team, and I picked the team that I picked for a reason, and that's with a number of games in mind, that I need boys to get minutes, I need boys to be fresh.

“The players that I've played tonight, although they might not be playing multiple league games at the minute, they're all reasonably experienced players, except one.

“So the team should have definitely been able to compete.

“We conceded two really cheap goals, but we didn't give up many opportunities outside of that.

“(In the second half) We make multiple errors at the back, the goal at the back post at the end. I'm at an absolute loss for that, just horrendous individual errors.”

On young gun McKay, the club’s second youngest starter in their SPFL era after Iain Vigurs, the manager had nothing but praise.

“A couple of my coaches were concerned whether I was throwing him in too early.

“I just get the sense from the boy in training, that he's not scared, and he plays with no fear, and he's certainly done that tonight.

“He pressed, he harried, he showed good quality on the ball, I think overall he was maybe one of our top three players.

“I couldn't be more pleased for him, his family came down to watch him today, he left school an hour early, and I have literally not a single criticism to make of him.

“If the club looks after him properly, they're going to have a player on their hands.”