 |
| Elgin City |
1 |
| Shallicker 73pen |
|
| Annan Athletic |
2 |
| Jack 9, 68 |
|
Any Elgin fan hoping that todays game against SFL newcomers Annan Athletic would kick start their season were shocked as the home side ended up on end of a 2-1 defeat.
Jack made it 1 - 0 on 9 minutes when after a quick break Annan found themselves with 3 v 1, leaving the striker with the easiest of chances to slot the ball past McNulty. City seemed unable to change their style of play and persisted in knocking long balls down the centre which were picked off by Townsley and Hill at the heart of the Southerners defence.
Crooks and Wright struggled up front to salvage anything in the first half from the lack of decent balls to them. Referee Northcroft incensed the home fans on 34 minutes when he booked Townsley for hauling back Wright just on the edge of the box. Being the last men, many City fans thought it should have been red.
City started the second half brightly with Wright coming close on 56 and 58, both shots sailing over the bar. On 65 referee Northcroft again irked the City fans when he only booked Annan's keeper Summersgill for handling outside the box.
But worse was to come when on 70 minutes Jack made it 2 - 0 for the away side. 3 minutes later Shally grabbed a lifeline for Elgin when after Grainger stopped the ball with his face in the box, a penalty was awarded to the consternation of the away side. To make matter worse Grainger, after receiving treatment, was red carded for a deliberate handball.
Two minutes into injury time, Craig Campbell almost made himself the hero of the day but closing in on goals, his low hard shot was well saved and put out for a corner.
Elgin: McNulty, Niven, MacDonald, Kaczan, Kerr, Nicolson, Campbell, O'Donoghue, Wright (Allan 82), Crooks (Shallicker 60), MacKay (Low 49).
Subs Not Used: Gilbert, Ridgers.
Booked: Nicolson.
Annan Athletic: Summersgill, Brown, Inglis, Hill (Walker 90), Townsley, Jack, Sloan, Jardine, Archibald (Dunbar 52), Johnstone (Bell 70), Grainger.
Subs Not Used: Cameron, Neilson.
Sent Off: Grainger (73). Booked: Inglis, Summersgill, Jack.
Ref: M Northcroft
All photos courtesy of Robert Crombie, Elgin City club photographer
|
