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Elgin City 2 v 1 Albion Rovers |  |
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Elgin City 2 v 1 Albion Rovers | |
| Bell's League Third Division 21st January 2006 |
Attendance : 360
Scorers ~ Elgin City : McKenzie (77), Booth (87). Albion Rovers : Young (38).
Goals from their old boys sunk Albion Rovers at Borough Briggs in a crucial "six pointer". Cliftonhill gaffer Jim Chapman had selection problems, comparing Cliftonhill to Emergency Ward 10 following last weeks match against East Fife.
The match started quietly with the first notable action taking place in 11 minutes when a Steven Noble free-kick whizzed across the Elgin goal but there was no challenge to 'keeper Renton who dealt with the ball.
A Chaplain shot which proved too high preceded Adam Nelson having his weak shot deflected for an unproductive corner. Custodian of Rovers goal, Creer was then brought into play when he blocked a low and strong Alan Muir shot and then an Allan Dempsie attempt.
City were in the ascendancy now and Hugh Dickson came close when he jumped to head a Nelson free-kick down briskly only to have Creer prevent him grabbing the opener. Stewart Cumming was next to try his luck with a well-judged volley from 20 yards which thankfully for the far travelled Rovers fans was straight into the waiting arms of Creer.
Muir had a go with a 20 yard free-kick, which after a minute of the referee telling the wall where to stand was a yard high of the intended target. In 34 minutes Craig Young went down in the homesters box with former Rover Stewart Easton the apparent culprit, play-on said Mr. Hornby. 4 minutes later Young put Rovers ahead with a cracker from the edge of the box when he outpaced the defence and made room to unleash an unstoppable shot.
Stephen Reid went on a run down the wing in the dying moments of the first half, cutting in from the corner he provided Young with the ball whose "wrong foot" attempt went straight to 'keeper Renton.
Half-Time
The second period opened with Chris Gardiner shooting wildly over Rovers bar, then a corner led to Stewart Cumming firing past the goal. Young tried to get a second goal and beat Dickson to get a shot which went out for a corner.
Several half-chances and possession by Elgin ultimately led to Mark Booth missing from close-range. A minute later teammate David Hind headed over from 3 yards from a crossed ball from close to the corner-flag.
Visiting fans their breath once more on the hour mark when Fraser Bremner crossed for Booth to force a good save from Creer. In 64 minutes ex-Rover Jamie McKenzie who was probably in charge of his last match as caretaker boss came off the bench.
Creer denied the highland side another gilt-edged chance when he managed to pluck the ball from the air while back-pedalling along the goal line with an attacker waiting for the ball to drop to him.
In 72 minutes an Elgin shot was blocked on the line by another Elgin player which was shortly followed by McKenzie giving his shot just too much elevation. 5 minutes later he scored the equaliser from 6 yards when Nelson supplied the ball to Gardiner to cross to him. Elgin kept up the pressure and a vicious Bremner kick rattled off the crossbar.
With the small band of Rovers fans already thinking of their long journey south the draw was denied them in 87 minutes. Mark Booth, an award winning young player at Cliftonhill collected a Nelson pass and then lobbed the ball over Creer into the net.
The goal was immediately followed by the introduction of Mansaré Abou Beaker "Big Abou" to fans for his debut but there was insufficient time remaining for him to make a impact.
Hind and Nelson of the home side and Donnelly of Rovers were booked during the game.
Summary
Perhaps when considered in the cold light of day Albion Rovers didn't do enough to justify a draw but the manner of it's snatching away was ...................unfortunate.
Elgin City : Renton, Kaczan, Dempsie, Easton, Dickson, Booth, Cumming (McKenzie 64), Hind, Gardiner, Nelson, Muir (Bremner 55). Subs Not Used: Jack, Trialist.
Albion Rovers : Creer, Black, McGhee, Lennon, Donnelly, Friel, Reid (Doyle 78), Chaplain, Young (Abou Beaker 87), Noble, Donachy (Chisholm 85). Subs Not Used : Sichi, Quinn.
Referee : Willie Hornby
Man of the Match - Allan Creer
