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Elgin City 1 v 1 Albion Rovers |  |
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Elgin City 1 v 1 Albion Rovers | |
| Irn-Bru League Third Division 5th March 2008 |
Attendance : 301
Scorers ~ Elgin City : Crooks (10). Albion Rovers : Pat Walker (79).
The home side needed all three points to keep within touching distance of a play-off place come the end of the season but it wasn't to be. Far travelled Albion Rovers denied them that arriving home in the wee small hours with a point. Rovers horrendous injury list was slightly mitigated by the inclusion of on-loan winger Bobby Barr from St. Johnstone.
The match started quietly in strong winds accompanied by driving rain and the first thing of note was a goal for Elgin in 10 minutes. Steven MacKay's free-kick was bundled into the net by Jason Crooks to put City in front.
Rovers first worthwhile attempt on goal came three minutes later when Graeme Watson pumped a long ball forward to John Gemmell who headed it into the 'keepers arms. Steven McKay then saw his shot tipped over the bar by Rovers' stopper David Scott.
Iain Chisholm came close in 28 minutes when he guided a low ball past the Elgin post from six yards out.
Half-Time
The second period started as the first, more with a whimper than a bang. Nine minutes after the restart Pat Walker supplied Chisholm with the ball which he headed marginally wide of the target. Craig Frizzell beat Alan Benton to unleash a "cert" of a shot which somehow managed to go past the Rovers post.
Watson was the provider for Chisholm soonafter but the resultant shot was stopped by Ally Ridgers. In successive minutes Elgin had almost identical moves fail when Crooks then Frizzell had Scott saving from point-blank range.
Scott was again in the thick of it when McKay passed to Allan Dempsie who threaded a low shot through the packed Rovers box only for the 'keeper to intervene. Ciaran Donnelly came close when his 25 yarder was deflected over the City bar.
It was Pat Walker who headed the equaliser from a Watson corner in 79 minutes to start the handful of midweek travelling fans celebrating. Rovers were looking for a win and Gemmell flighted in a high ball from 25 yards which was just over the bar as fans held their breaths.
With just a couple of minutes left on the clock a quality tackle by David Niven on the advancing Ally Martin in the City box prevented what could have been a winner.
Summary
A hard fought draw for Rovers.
Elgin City : Ridgers, Niven, Dempsie, O'Donoghue, Kaczan, Gilbert, Sutherland, McKay, Crooks, Frizzell, Campbell. Subs Not Used : Hind, Nicolson, Charlesworth, Smith, Allan.
Albion Rovers : Scott, Buckley, McGowan, Hughes, Benton, Donnelly, Barr (McDougall 77), Watson, Gemmell, Chisholm (Ally Martin 75), Pat Walker. Subs Not Used : Reid, Ferry, Mitchell.
Referee : Thomas Robertson
