Elgin City manager Gavin Price says his side’s recent cup tie success against Championship side Alloa Athletic shows his side can compete with the Wasps in today’s Scottish Cup tie.
City defeated the Wasps on penalties to secure a bonus point during the Betfred Cup group stage in July, after defender Stephen Bronsky had netted a late equaliser to secure a 3-3 draw at Recreation Park.
It was the sides’ third League Cup meeting in the space of five years, with City causing another upset with a 2-0 extra-time away victory in 2015.
Peter Grant’s men currently sit ninth in the second-tier but go into today’s game fresh from a 2-1 victory over Dunfermline last weekend.
Although Price feels it came too early in the season to truly gauge the Wasps, he feels the result can give his side belief ahead of today’s Borough Briggs encounter.
Price said: “It was very early in the season, it was almost like a pre-season game. From their side, they will probably look at it like that.
“We had quite a weakened team that night ourselves, but we still showed we could compete with Alloa.
“It’s a cup tie and we once again just have to try and get everything right on the day. If we do that we give ourselves a chance, particularly playing at home.”
City play the second instalment of a cup double header, having seen their Tunnock’s Caramel Wafer Challenge Cup run ended by last Friday’s 3-2 quarter-final defeat to Raith Rovers.
Although Price was pleased with his side’s attacking play, he feels they must tighten up at the back following the loss of soft goals at Stark’s Park.
Price added: “We will have to play defensively better. We can’t afford to lose the goals we lost against Raith and still hope to win the game.
“We played well in parts of the game and created some good chances. The strikers again came up with the goods.
“From that side, if we can replicate that with a stronger defensive performance, we will give ourselves a chance.”
City’s focus will return to league action next weekend when they host Stirling Albion in League 2, with Price hoping the cup does not distract his side from a fine run of league form which has produced three wins from the Moray side’s last four matches.
Price, who is without the suspended Rabin Omar and unavailable loan players Daniel MacKay and Matthew Aitken, added: “The form has been good in the last few weeks. Hopefully we can keep that going into the league.”
