Irn-Bru Scottish 3rd Division result
Elgin City 3	Albion Rovers 2
Shallicker 85, 88 Kazcan 90 +3	Wright 37 Benton 46

Elgin broke their League duck with a barnstorming second half. Three goals in the final eight minutes to come back from two-nil down does not tell the full story as most of the honours went to the City.

The game started slowly as both teams fenced for an opening. Rusty was booked for a two-footed tackle and set the standard for the referee. Craig Frizzell followed for a theatrical dive in the penalty area when a shot or a pass across the face of the goal seemed the better option. No complaints there, either.

Chisholm had the ball in the net for Albion Rovers. However, your correspondent doesn’t know why the referee didn’t give the goal. Answers please from those who had a better view.

This let-off galvanised the City and Shallicker’s acrobatic overhead kick missed the left upright by lick of paint. Elgin took the game to Rovers as Shally then forced Scott to parry his long-range free kick; Daisy’s header was cleared off the line then Zander Sutherland’s long-range free kick. All this is the space of 30 seconds.

City defended a high line and several times Rovers’ forwards were caught offside. Eventually the long cross ball tactic paid off for Rovers and Wright did David Hind for pace, cut back inside at the edge of the penalty area and curved a tremendous ball past Ali into the corner of the net. So 0-1 at half-time, maybe a wee bit harsh.

If the scoreline seemed harsh, then it got a whole lot worse within 60 seconds of the re-start when Benton shot from 35 yards over Ali’s head into the top left-hand corner. A shell-shocked City and Albion looked set to take full points

Slowly Elgin began to take the game to Rovers and they began to defend deeper and deeper, but Elgin didn’t really trouble Scott in the Rovers’ goal. Referee McLean’s yellow card count kept mounting up. Ross O’Donoghue was brought down n the penalty area, but the referee waved play on to the disgust of the players and the home fans.

Frizzell took a fee kick from fully 40 yards and nearly caught out Scott who was forced to tip over the bar. This gave Elgin renewed impetus and wee Zander hit the post with the Rovers’ defence in a total shambles. Martin Charlesworth found himself in the clear in the penalty area. His square ball took the keeper out of the game and Shally seemed to take an age before passing the ball into the empty net.

A few players got involved, but the referee seemed only to book Rovers’ Donnolly.

The momentum was all Elgin’s. Shally was obstructed at the edge of the penalty area. After the usual length of time to get the defensive wall in position, Shally took one step and calmly, impudently and absolutely brilliantly chipped the ball into the corner of the net.

The game was definitely on and shook Rovers out of their reverie. It took a super save by Ali to stop Rovers from retaking the lead. Shally had the ball in the net for a third time, but the referee spotted something and the “goal” didn’t count.

The ball was back in the Rovers’ penalty area and shakily they conceded a corner. Zander, who is a real crowd pleaser, took the corner and Paul Kaczan headed the ball home at the far post to clinch the victory.

Yes, it was a come back, but the steady pressure paid off and the 3-2 result wasn’t the “steal” that some of the Sunday’s would have us believe. Elgin played better against East Fife and lost, but it’s a very welcome and deserved three points.

After the game Robbie was full of praise for the players, “I was delighted for the boys because even at two nil down I thought we were the better team. We had hit the post and one or two near things, but I just told the boys to keep going. At one point we had five strikers on the park.”

Elgin City: Ali Ridgers, Craig Campbell, Mark Nicolson (Ross O’Donoghue 65), David Hind, Hugh Dickson (Paul Kaczan 85), Kenny Gilbert, Zander Sutherland, Mark Smith, Darren Shallicker, David Ross (Martin Charlesworth 65), Craig Frizzell. Subs not used: Andrew Lewis, Steven Dunn.

Bookings:
Smith 4 minutes
Frizzell 13 minutes
Nicolson 57 minutes

Albion Rovers: David Scott, Robert Walker, Michael McGowan, Ciaran Donnolly, Alan Benton, Barry Donald (Alan Reid 65), Brian Smith, Jamie McKenzie (Graeme Watson 85), Ian Chisholm, Callan Adam (John McGrugh), Kenny Wright. Subs not used: Pat Walker, Gary McLemaghan.

Bookings:
Chisholm 28 minutes
Wright 57 minutes
Robert Walker 64 minutes
Adam 68 minutes
Donnolly 85 minutes

All photos courtesy of The Lours