Elgin City boss Allan Hale took positives out of his team’s home defeat against Dumbarton, and hopes to bring them into Tuesday night’s basement clash at home to Clyde.
Hale handed a debut to three January signings, left back Lyall Booth, Cove midfielder Mark Gallagher and Caley Thistle teenager Keith Bray, while another recent capture Michael Dangana made his first Borough Briggs appearance.
The new-look City team produced good passages of play but lost out to Tony Wallace’s strike right on half time which handed Sons the three points.
“There was so much to like about the performance,” Hale said. “In terms of how we had more control over the game.
“I wanted us to be on the front foot, which we were. There were a lot of good things about our play and some good opportunities.
“Maybe if I’m being highly critical of the team, it’s in that final third.
“Perhaps we were not putting crosses in early enough, not beating the first man.”
New boy Gallagher caught the eye for City in centre midfield and Hale added: “I think he will get better and improve but you can see he’s someone who wants to take the ball and we need that to help us step forward and take control of the game.”
Hale can now focus on the midweek basement battle with bottom side Clyde, who drew at Spartans to close the gap on City to four points.
“We will probably change a couple of positions because I’m pleased with the options we have available to us now,” he said.
“We will take a look at Clyde and how they set up and how we feel we can hurt them.”
Dumbarton missed a great opportunity on two minutes when Tony Wallace headed wide from close range off a Carlo Pignatiello cross from the right.
The visitors pressed with a strong wind advantage but chances were limited and City began to look confident on the break.
Jake Dolzanski saw a header from a Russell Dingwall cleared off the line by Finlay Gray on 26 minutes, City’s first sniff of goal.
Two minutes later Dangana cut across from the left and curled a superb efforts inches wide of the far post.
Dumbarton looked blunt going forward but did go close on 45 minutes when Michael Ruth fired off the right hand post.
In stoppage time the visitors took the lead with Wallace firing home at the second attempt after Tom McHale saved his first attempt off a Kalvin Orsi cross.
McHale had to be at his best to tip a Ryan Blair free kick over the bar just two minutes into the second half.
The City keeper also pushed away a powerful Ruth effort on the hour as Dumbarton looked more purposeful in the second period.
Dayshonne Golding fired just over for the home side, and couldn’t turn a Dingwall cross on target as City probed for an equaliser.
Bray fired into the side-netting and sub Robert Jones failed to turn a Golding cross on goal, while Gallagher’s late header sailed over to signal the end of Elgin’s pursuit of a share of the spoils.
