Justifying

I wasn't particularly enamored with any of the images I entered for last night's MPS club night, so coming away with two 'Highly Commended's left me satisfied.
The set subject was Monochrome, and the image I got the HC for is this one. The judge - who I did learn stuff from, and have no bones at all with - seemed to have an aversion to anyone who had chosen to go with sepia tones. In my defense, I did not apply a sepia preset - I used muddy brown colour monochrome.
He applied the same criticism to my photo as he did to many others who applied this toning to their images - that it would probably look better in black and white, and that 'the author' should go home and try that.
I had already tried it. In my mind it was insipid in black and white, and the brown tones brought out the broodiness in the sky which prevents the photo from being flat.
Still, everyone has their own opinion, and that's what a critique invites. What do you fullas think? (I have also included the original)