Elgin ruined Darren Young’s first game in charge at Stirling Albion with a deserved 1-0 victory at Forthbank.
It was a game of few chances, played out in freezing conditions, but Elgin were the more enterprising throughout the 90 minutes and took all three points courtesy of Angus Mailer’s strike midway through the second half.
Gavin Price saw his side earn their second away league win of the season to move seven points clear of bottom club Cowdenbeath.
He said: “I’m really delighted because we needed it with the run we have been on.
“The last two performances before tonight weren’t great but the late goal on Saturday (in the 2-2 draw with Stenhousemuir) is hopefully a moment that kick-started our season.
“It’s a clean sheet and a victory but there is still a lot to be done and we know we can play better.
“Stirling had pressure at the end but we also had opportunities to kill the game off and overall I think we deserved it.
“We’ve come out on the wrong side of these type of games too often so it was good to be on the right side – hopefully this will spur them on to start 2022 with a bang.”
There was a scare before kick-off with the floodlights failing a couple of times but fortunately the game was able to go ahead, kicking off just a couple of minutes late.
It was a slow start by both teams but Elgin carved out the first chance after 15 minutes when Aidan Sopel fed Kane Hester but his shot, on the turn, flashed over the top.
Hester had a chance again midway through the first half when he got in behind the home defence but his shot was wide of the post.
Here is the team lineup for tonight’s match against @Stirling_Albion
Come on City! pic.twitter.com/sAASR4doz0
— Elgin City F.C. (@ElginCityFC) December 21, 2021
Stirling did not offer much in the way of a response and Thomas McHale did not have a save of note to make in the first half.
Their best effort of the first half came from a long-range effort from Dylan Bikey but it finished well wide and the goalkeeper was untroubled.
Elgin continued to look the more likely as half-time approached with Hester again looking dangerous but his threatening ball across the face of the goal found no takers.
Stirling had a penalty claim waved aside early in the second half when Daniel Scally went down under pressure from Russell Dingwall but referee Iain Snedden was not interested.
Conor O’Keefe, who replaced Sopel at half-time, had a decent opportunity but the angle was too tight and Blair Currie saved comfortably at his post. O’Keefe had another chance shortly afterwards but could not keep his shot down.
▪️FULL-TIME at Forthbank
Stirling Albion 0️⃣
Elgin City 1️⃣ pic.twitter.com/CEU3TB1K4F— Stirling Albion FC (@Stirling_Albion) December 21, 2021
Elgin made the breakthrough in 68 minutes. Russell Dingwall’s corner was headed down by Ross Draper and Mailer smashed the ball home from close range.
Substitute Tony Dingwall almost doubled the lead two minutes later but Currie did well to block his effort.
Stirling finished strongly – Sean Heaver was careless with his finish and then Scally sent a diving header wide.
