ELGIN CITY 0 SHIRE 4

A classic striker’s hat-trick from Andy Rodgers was all the difference between Shire and Elgin City at Borough Briggs. Rodgers had the visitors in front after just seven minutes and should have added another before the break.

But two more predatory goals late on gave Shire a comfortable cushion before Brian Graham completed the scoring with four minutes to go. The final scoreline was hard luck on Elgin City who contributed plenty to an enjoyable game, and who, with a bit of fortune, might have gained some reward for all their hard work.

Boss Jim McInally decided he couldn’t change a winning team and so stuck by the same starting eleven that had beaten Montrose 5-0 the week before. That meant there was place for Paul Hay, who was free from suspension or Craig Donaldson after his spell out of the team with a hamstring injury.

The match kicked off in pouring rain on a pitch that was already soft on top. Elgin showed they were in no mood to be Shire’s patsies and after just two minutes McDonald’s deep cross from the left found Campbell unmarked at the back post but he shanked his shot across the face of goal and wide.

With seven minutes on the clock the visitors took the lead in simple fashion. Dean Richardson’s ball out wide to Rodgers gave the Shire striker a clear run of goal and he took the ball into the penalty area before shooting low past Elgin keeper Joe Malin.

The home side managed to get some decent possession but couldn’t do a lot with it. But Shire had Jamie Barclay to thank for a fine fingertip save from McKay’s 20 yard free-kick on the 20 minute mark.

After 35 minutes Rodgers could have put Shire on easy street. He out-muscled Guy Kerr to a through ball and was clean through on Malin with only the Elgin keeper to beat. But the Scotland under-19 international did enough to put Rodgers off and he shot wide from six yards.

McKay’s free-kicks around the edge of the Shire box continued to cause problems and one net-bound effort had to be deflected wide by David Dunn for what turned out to be a fruitless corner kick.

Another setpiece for Elgin on 41 minutes produced panic in the Shire defence. This time they failed to clear a corner, the ball fell to Paul Kaczan and his shot should have burst the back of the net but Richardson hooked it away on the goalline.

Shire toiled during the first half and, if anything, they got worse at the start of the second period. Two minutes after the break McDonald played the ball into dangerman Shalliker whose looping shot hit the bar with Barclay beaten.

Then it was the turn of McKay to wriggle free inside the box but he slammed his short across the face of goal and narrowly wide at the far post.

The visitors were struggling to get their foot on the ball and Elgin were clearly on top. They had a decent shout for a penalty after 58 minutes when Craig Tully challenged Shalliker inside the six yard box and the Elgin man went to ground. Despite the appeals from the home team and supporters referee Gary Hilland simply waved play on.

Shalliker had another chance two minutes later but his shot from the back edge of the box flew across goal without anyone to supply the finishing touch.

But after 63 minutes Rodgers showed Elgin how it should be done. Graham was released down the Shire right and his cross was met perfectly by his striking partner, bundling the ball over the line from inside the six yard box.

Elgin never gave up and in 74 minutes they were again unlucky in front of goal, this time McKay tried his luck with a shot from 20 yards but it cracked off the crossbar.

Shire committed their substitutes, with Hay, Donaldson and Marc McKenzie making an appearance and Squib made an instant impact hitting the post from the edge of the box.

After 83 minutes the visitors made the three points secure with a third goal. Donaldson slipped the ball through to Rodgers who brushed off a couple of half-hearted challenges before firing the ball through the home keeper into the net.

Home substitute Ramsay tested Barclay from 20 yards but the Shire keeper threw himself full-length to push the ball round the post. With four minutes to go Graham gave the final scoreline a flattering complexion.

He collected a long kick-out from Barclay and turned two defenders before hitting a 20 yard half-volley high into Malin’s top right-hand corner.

Elgin City : Malin, Gilbert, McDonald, Kerr(Ramsay 84), Kaczan, McKay, Campbell, O’Donoghue, Shalliker(Charlesworth 86), Keogh(Hind 69), Crooks.

Shire : Barclay, Kelly(Hay 58), Richardson(Donaldson 58), Forrest, Bolochoweckyj, Tully, Graham, Dunn, Cramb(McKenzie 74), Ure, Rodgers.

Referee : G. Hilland

Attendance : 366.