Albion Rovers 0 v 3 Elgin City

Attendance : 275

Scorers ~ Elgin City : Nicolson (15), Campbell (85, 90).

Rovers slumped to a humiliating defeat to the side rock bottom of the league in only their second away win of the campaign. This game had all the hallmarks of an end of season clash between no hopers although in theory Rovers had a mathematical chance of a play-off spot.

The game started quietly, in 10 minutes a Steven MacKay free-kick from 30 yards was easily stopped by Jamie Ewings. Six minutes later MacKay floated in a corner which Mark Nicolson headed in from close range as Ewings looked on.

Rovers vaguely stirred into action a minute later when Steven McKeown went on a run down the near wing, he crossed the ball to Callan Adam at the far post who headed down only to be foiled by a confident stop by Andy McNulty.

Then Bobby Barr took a corner that Robert Walker hit goalward only to have it blocked. Barr was on the ball again shortly afterwards but was leaning back when he unleashed the shot which was of course too high to be of concern to the 'keeper.

Ross O'Donoghue latched onto a free-kick and launched the ball into the stratosphere over the Rovers crossbar. McKeown crossed the ball into the City box from close to the corner, McNulty spilled it but managed to recover it before a Rovers man could intervene.

Barr got onto the end of a through ball but the 'keeper took it from him a second later. A Barr corner was met with a glancing shot by Michael McGowan close to goal but it went over the crossbar.

In injury-time Brian Cameron was advancing towards Rovers goal, he elected to go it alone despite having colleagues in decent positions, Ewings came out to block the shot with his legs.

Half-Time

As fans came to terms with a first half almost devoid of effort from the men in yellow and red the second period got underway with Barr hitting the ball from a tight angle and seeing it saved. A well worked Barr move supplied Marc Pollock with the ball but in came to nothing as his cross failed to find anyone.

Brendan Crozier supplied Pollock with his next opportunity but the resultant shot provided no trouble for McNulty. A pinpoint cross from Cameron allowed Darren Shallicker to head well past. Seconds later he missed the target once more.

Pollock had an attempt deflected for what proved to be an unproductive corner. At the other end Alan Benton was in the right place to dispossess an Elgin man close to Rovers penalty spot.

At opposite ends of the pitch Shallicker and McKeown had poor shots saved. Rovers could have drawn level in 81 minutes if someone could have got onto a Walker header following an Marco Andreoni corner.

With five minutes remaining Campbell made sure of the three points going north when he eluded Walker and put the ball past the advancing Ewings.

The scoring was completed in injury time when MacKay sent in a ball to Campbell at the back post, who netted for a second time.

Summary

Rovers 10th match in a row without a win and arguably their worst performance in this dire match which has many fans looking forward to the end of the season.

Albion Rovers : Ewings, Reid, Fleming, Donnelly, McGowan, Robert Walker, McKeown, Ferry (Andreoni 58), Harty (Pollock 46), Barr, Adam (Crozier 46). Subs Not Used : McGoldrick, David Scott.

Elgin City : McNulty, Nicolson, MacDonald, David A Craig, David W Craig, Gillespie, Shallicker (Crooks 86), O'Donoghue, Campbell, MacKay, Cameron (McPhee 90). Subs Not Used: Jack, McKenzie, Anderson.

Referee : Neil Watters

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