Aberdeen teenager Evan Towler saw his loan return to Elgin City cut short by injury but the 18-year-old hopes to play a big part in the Moray club’s promotion challenge.
Towler came off at half time in Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Annan after a recurrence of an ankle injury which he picked up in his last loan spell at Cove Rangers.
The Dons’ left back said he needs game time and after being on the bench at Cove towards the end of the year, he feels he will benefit from stepping back down a couple of divisions with the club he enjoyed a loan spell with last season.
“I got around 12 games at Cove in the Championship when I was still a 17-year-old so that’s not bad but it’s not as much as I would like,” he said.
“Aberdeen have told me it’s all about getting games and hopefully I will play as much as possible at Elgin then go back to Aberdeen for the pre-season flying with a good few games under my belt.”
Towler impressed as Elgin produced a solid first half showing to lead through Kane Hester’s 24th goal of the season at the break.
But when the young Don failed to appear for the second period, the Borough Briggs side lost their way and Tommy Goss headed an equaliser for an Annan side that also struck the woodwork twice in a dominant spell.
“I’m cup-tied next week anyway for the Scottish Cup so I’ll get time to rest up and I’m sure I’ll be OK for the next league game,” Towler added.
“It’s a great changing room here at Elgin and I enjoyed a good spell here last time so I’m really pleased to be back.
“Knowing most of the guys really helps and it’s important for me to get a good run of games. Hopefully Elgin will be up there challenging.”
City manager Gavin Price was pleased with the contribution of Towler and fellow Aberdeen loan signing Aaron Reid, who set up Hester’s first half goal.
But he was disappointed to see his team slide out of the contest in the second half.
“It was good getting Evan back and he gave us a better balance, which we lost when he went off at half time,” Price said.
“We did well in the first half and looked a threat. There were a few things I was really pleased with, we scored a good goal and I thought Aaron worked really hard and provided that physical presence at times.
“We knew there would be that physical pressure from Annan going down the hill in the second half.
“We were under pressure and we dealt with it reasonably well, but we can do better than that and have to start finding the answers for the whole 90 minutes.”
TEAM LINE-UP
Here's our starting XI to face Annan Athletic today at Borough Briggs.
Come on the City. ⚫️⚪️ pic.twitter.com/kjjkfahuzM
— Elgin City F.C. (@ElginCityFC) January 14, 2023
Annan’s Reece Lyon headed wide the first chance of the game from a Tam Muir cross on ten minutes.
Muir should have opened the scoring five minutes later when he broke clear of the Elgin defence but Tom McHale stuck out a leg to repel his strike on goal.
Kane Hester curled a drive just past from inside the box on 18 minutes.
However, seconds later Hester did open the scoring, firing home a neat through pass from Reid for his 24th goal of the season.
The striker was becoming a real thorn in Annan’s side having netted four times when the teams last met at Borough Briggs in September.
He was inches away from connecting with a Mitchell Taylor cross on 29 minutes.
Annan, who saw Jordan Lowdon and Aidan Smith limp off injured inside the first 25 minutes, nearly levelled when the two subs combined for Tony Wallace to meet Cameron Williamson’s cross with a looping header that floated inches over McHale’s bar.
Dons teenager Towler’s first game back at Elgin proved to be a short-lived one as he picked up an ankle injury and was replaced by Darryl McHardy at the break.
Muir fired just over for Annan at the start of the second half and the Galabank men were out of luck on 54 minutes when Chris Johnston’s curling 20 yarder smacked off the crossbar with McHale well beaten.
Annan did get on the scoresheet on 62 minutes, Scott Hooper’s cross from the left picking out Tommy Goss in the centre and he headed home unmarked.
Six minutes later Goss almost scored again, turning and crashing a powerful drive which again came back off McHale’s crossbar.
It was all Annan now with McHale twice saving the home side, brilliantly palming away another free Goss header then blocking a volley from Benjamin Luissint.
Elgin managed to hang on for a point and reflect on some lucky escapes in the second period.
