Elgin City boss Gavin Price was delighted to see new signing Aaron Reid make an instant impact.
The Aberdeen striker scored a late winner on his debut for Elgin in their 1-0 victory at Forfar following his New Year’s Day loan move to the Black and Whites.
Reid completed his move from Turriff United to the Dons at the start of the month and was immediately loaned out to Price’s side.
After Reid’s 89th-minute winner, the Elgin boss said: “You couldn’t write it.
“It’s a perfect start to the new year but a really hard game.
“Forfar were the better team in the first half and the sending off gives us the advantage in their second.
“We started to get into our game and I think we deserved the three points.”
On Reid, Price added: “I am delighted for him.
“Not just because of his goal, but his all-round performance. I thought he was excellent.”
It was far from plain sailing for Price’s men though. They spent much of the opening period on the back foot and could have gone behind on more than one occasion.
Mark Docherty had a goal ruled out on the half hour mark for Forfar before Stefan McCluskey spurned a glorious chance when he turned the ball onto the post with the goal at his mercy.
Full time! 1-0 win on the road against Forfar Athletic! Courtesy of Aaron Reid! Get in! ⚫️⚪️ pic.twitter.com/HQjjteTBNe
— Elgin City F.C. (@ElginCityFC) January 2, 2023
The game took a turn in favour of City just a minute after the restart, however. Thomas Brindley appeared to be harshly sent off for a challenge on Russell Dingwall in the middle of the park.
Elgin had the chance to capitalise on their man advantage ten minutes later when Kane Hester nicked the ball in front of goalkeeper Marc McCallum and was felled by the onrushing keeper.
Russell Dingwall stepped up and saw his effort saved by McCallum only for referee Duncan Williams to order a retake. Dingwall had the chance at redemption but he blasted the ball high, wide and out of the stadium.
McCallum was proving to be a tough nut to crack for the Elgin front line and he was a thorn in the side of Kane Hester on a number of occasion but Elgin found the winner in the 89th minute when debutant Reid rose highest in the box and flicked his header in off the post.
The win sees the Black and Whites move five points clear of Annan Athletic in third position at the halfway point of the season
Despite Price’s January signings already proving fruitful, the manager seemed keen on further adding to his squad when asked if there would be any new additions for the visit of East Fife on Saturday.
He said: “I’m hoping so, I’d still like to get one or two more in to improve the squad but we’ve got ourselves in a really good position halfway through the league.”
Ray McKinnon names his first team of the new year. pic.twitter.com/yfOxxgOlkT
— Forfar Athletic (@ForfarAthletic) January 2, 2023
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