Albion Rovers 3 v 4 Elgin City

Attendance : 186

Scorers ~ Albion Rovers : Hunter (10, 63), Wright (77). Elgin City : Shallicker (30), Campbell (60), Dickson (70), Frizzell (80).

Still smarting from last weeks cup exit Albion Rovers had much to prove and although they'd upped their game somewhat they still managed to lose at home to 10 men! Ciaran Donnelly and Barry Donald were both missing from Rovers ranks through suspension which didn't aid their cause.

Roddy Hunter was first to have a go when an Elgin defender kindly headed the ball to him, the strikers  header from 6 yards was saved by Ally Ridgers. Elgin had the ball in Rovers net in seven minutes, Darren Shallicker got the last touch but was offside. Ironically it seemed that the ball was already destined for the back of the net as it reached him and would have counted had he not deemed it necessary to help it on its way.

John Gemmell had a shot deflected for a corner which led to Rovers taking the lead in 10 minutes. Jamie McKenzie took the corner which Alan Benton headed down for Hunter to poke home from a couple of feet off the line.

Zander Sutherland wasn't to be put off by Rovers defence as he jinked about to make space to unleash a shot, thankfully for the home side David Scott managed to save it. Sutherland then turned provider when his free-kick was headed past the post by Shallicker.

On the half hour mark Elgin City drew level when a free-kick found Shallicker a couple of yards from goal, he skillfully pulled the ball down and prodded it home. Five minutes later City were reduced to 10 men when Mark Smith was shown a straight red card for a two footed tackle on McKenzie.

Far from impeding the visitors this spurred them on and within two minutes they were awarded a penalty as Alan Reid brought down Willie Martin. Martin stepped up but only managed to blast the ball off the crossbar.

Half-Time

Kenny Wright had a weak shot stopped by Ridgers following a Hunter pass was helpfully knocked on by City man Hugh Dickson. Several men in yellow and blue were then involved in a move which ended in Wright puting the ball over the crossbar. Next it was Benton who fired over the bar when he got onto the end of a cross.

Wright was once more on the attack, working hard on the far wing to fire in a shot which the 'keeper turned onto the side netting. On the hour mark Elgin took the lead when weak defending allowed substitute Craig Campbell to tap-in a Sutherland ball.

Just three minutes elapsed before Rovers equalised when the ball found its way to Hunter in front of the visitors goal, he spun round and tapped the ball into the net. In 70 minutes Rovers went behind once more when an Alan Dempsie free-kick found Dickson in front of Scott, he had no trouble grabbing his sides third.

Rovers hadn't given up and Callan Adam blasted a 35 yard free-kick at Ridgers who failed to control the ball properly but prevented a goal. Shortly afterwards another Adam free-kick from a similar range was meekly headed to the 'keeper by Wright.

Rovers equalised for a second time in 77 minutes when Robert Walker crossed for Wright to knock the ball into the net from close range. Gemmell failed to capitalise shortly afterwards when he blasted a 30 yard free-kick low but tantalisingly close to the City goal.

The winner game ten minutes from time and was predictably another tap-in, Craig Frizzell having latched onto a corner. A late Rovers header rebounding off the Elgin crossbar sealed Rovers fate.

Summary

A disappointing result not last because the victors played for 55 minutes a man short.

Albion Rovers : Scott, Buckley (Chisholm 84), Reid, Robert Walker, Benton, Smith, Wright (Dimilta 88), McKenzie (Patrick Walker 73), Hunter, Adams, Gemmell. Subs Not Used : Graham Watson, Mitchell.

Elgin City: Ridgers, Nicolson, Dempsie, Hind, Dickson, Gilbert, Smith, Martin (Campbell 52), Shallicker, O'Donoghue, Sutherland (Frizzell 72). Subs Not Used : Kaczan, Ross, Bowden

Referee: Stephen Finnie

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