Elgin City banished their relegation worries for good after interim manager Ross Draper’s stoppage time header earned a 1-0 victory against Dumbarton and League Two safety for the Borough Briggs club.
With Albion Rovers losing 2-1 at East Fife, City moved four points clear of bottom spot ahead next week’s final game of the season against Bonnyrigg Rose.
Draper picked the perfect moment to score his first goal for Elgin, nodding in Russell Dingwall’s free kick with virtually the last action of a nervy contest.
“Is that my first goal? I suppose it must be,” he said after the match.
“It was a great feeling to score right at the end.
“I wasn’t sure if it was going in. I thought it was maybe too high but it was great to see it go in.
“I’m delighted for the boys and for the club. It’s been a difficult spell but credit to everyone for what we’ve managed to do in the four games since we came in.
“That’s two wins and a draw and it’s got the club to a safe position which is what we set out to do.”
Dingwall couldn’t hide his delight after assisting Draper’s last-gasp winner.
“We didn’t want to be in this position so we’re glad to be safe now,” he said.
The midfielder revealed that referee Dan McFarlane had indicated there was one minute left of the five he added on for stoppages, and Dingwall had to make his free kick count.
He said: “I had a free kick earlier when I was under pressure and I shanked it into the goalie’s hands.
“This time I knew if I could hang it into the right area there was a chance that someone would get their head on it.
“The game was almost over. The ref said there was a minute left so it was the last chance we were going to get.
“I knew we had a threat in the box and big Drapes was there so it was just perfect.
“You could see what it meant when the goal went in. There were boys on the pitch and we knew the Albion game was finished and they had lost 2-1 so we just gave it our all at the end and it paid off.”
The moment that secured our Cinch League 2 Status 💥
C’mon ⚫️⚪️ pic.twitter.com/dklMzk7HxA
— Elgin City F.C. (@ElginCityFC) April 30, 2023
The first half lacked inspiration from either side with Dumbarton having slightly the better of the chances.
Ryan Blair volleyed just wide from a right wing Aaron Lynas cross on ten minutes.
City keeper Tom McHale pulled off a great save from Ally Love’s angled drive midway through the half.
The home team lost midfielder Angus Mailer to injury but had an opportunity on the half hour when his replacement Dylan Lawrence forced a good save out of Harry Broun after Kane Hester pounced on the counter attack.
McHale saved again from a deflected Blair shot as Sons chased the first goal before the break.
Hester intercepted a passback on the hour but his angled shot past the advancing Broun was cleared in the goalmouth.
Sub Mitch Taylor saw a cross skim just wide of the far post and Darryl McHardy’s long-range shot was saved as the home side stepped up their efforts.
Todays Team to take on Dumbarton.
C’mon ⚫️⚪️ pic.twitter.com/BR3eIZyNRb
— Elgin City F.C. (@ElginCityFC) April 29, 2023
Dumbarton nearly grabbed a last minute goal on the counter-attack, sub Finlay Gray racing through from halfway but McHale pulled off what proved to be a crucial save.
Deep into stoppage time came Elgin’s moment of glory when Dingwall floated over a free kick from the right side of the box and Draper rose highest to plant a header past the helpless Broun.
The celebrations showed what it meant to the Elgin players and fans, as the spectre of relegation back to the Highland League vanished without a trace.
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