Elgin City 1   Dumbarton 1

Mackay 24    Logan 75

To use a tired old cliche, it was a game of 2 halves today as Elgin picked up their first point of the season against Dumbarton. With their recent run of bad results fresh in fans minds, City's first home league game of the 2008/2009 season saw them come against a side they'd had some good results against in recent years, albeit one which is undergoing its own transition. With a large and always vocal away support at the game, it was always going to be a challenge.

It was the home side who started better, forcing 2 corners within the first 5 minutes. And that continued for the first 20 minutes or so as Sons struggled to impose themselves into the match. And they were let off on 21 minutes when Steven Mackay should have done better from withint the 6 yard box as his side foot went the wrong side of McEwan's goals. However 'Sid' made amends for this with a stunning free kick on 24 minutes. After Paul Kaczan was brough down on the very edge of the box, both Sid and Shally stood around the ball. But it was the left foot strike which sent the City fans into rapture, his low hard shot bouncing off the inside of McEwan's right hand post, and nestling in the opposite corner. Elgin's first league goal of the campaign, and one worht waiting for. 

Carcary should have equalised on the half hour but his shot scraped past Ally Ridgers. The remainder of the first half continued in the same vein with Elgin pressing hard but unable to grab that second vital goal.

And a second goal was required as Jim Chapman's side had felt the wrath of their manager during the break as they bossed the second half from start to finish. City were missing the drive of Hind and O'Donoghue in the middle of the park, and their defence went from being calm and composed to hurried and nervy. WIthin 10 minutes the sides should have been level, as Sons corner was somehow cleared off the goal line and scrambled to safety. But a goal was coming. A second Elgin goal would probably have ended Sons chances but it was hard to see where that was going to come from. Darren Shallicker led the line well but is still lacking that sharpness City came to expect from him last season, and whilst Jason Crooks showed some neat touches, the ball just never bounced his way.

So it was no surprise when Dumbarton equalised with 15 minutes left. A long floated free kick from within their own half was flicked goalwards by Logan, and to the despair of the home support it ended up behind Ally Ridgers.

The final 15 saw Sons come close on a number of occasions but deep within injury time, City should have made it 2 - 1. A good Mackay cross from the left found Lindsay isinde the box but his weak header went harmlessly past Sons goal.

Elgin City: Ridgers, Campbell, MacDonald, Kaczan, Nicolson, Hind, Low, O'Donoghue, Shallicker (Lindsay 76), Crooks, McKay.
Subs Not Used: McPhee, Cameron, Jack, Anderson.

Booked: Crooks, Lindsay.

Goals: McKay 24.

Dumbarton: McEwan, Geggan (Gourlay 66), O'Byrne, Lennon, Gordon, Clark, Weir (Gray 79), Logan, Chisholm, Carcary, Murray.
Subs Not Used: McLaughlin, Moore, McGeown.

Booked: Murray, Logan.

Goals: Logan 75.

Att: 462

Ref: C Boyle