SHIRE 5 ELGIN CITY 2

Could this be the corner turned ? After weeks of hoping that the team would come good Shire finally delivered. A five goal performance from Jim McInally’s men created some badly-needed daylight between themselves and the league’s bottom team.

It had all the makings of a tense affair with so much at stake but Colin Cramb’s 10th minute penalty put Shire a goal to the good and it was pretty much over as a contest as early as 24 minutes with Shire at that stage 3-0 ahead.

McInally made the one expected change to the side that lost 3-0 at Montrose, with Colin Cramb replacing the suspended Brain Graham up front. David King was named among the substitutes, the first time this season he has made the squad for a league game now that his hamstring problems are happily behind him.

Elgin City were forced into a number of changes, having had three players sent-off in the previous week’s 6-1 home defeat at the hands of Albion Rovers.

The game, not surprisingly, with so much at stake started slowly. Elgin created the first goal threat after seven minutes. Ross O’Donague’s corner found the unmarked Paul Kaczan at the back post who managed to direct a header towards goal which Shire keeper Jamie Barclay saved but not convincingly.

Kaczan’s next involvement was at the other end after ten minutes when he committed a careless foul on Andy Rodgers, who had the ball at his feet but his back to goal. There was no doubt in the mind of referee Gary Nicol in pointing to the spot and Colin Cramb stepped up to slot the ball past Ally Ridgers low to the keeper’s right hand post from the penalty kick.

Kaczan had an early opportunity to make amends for his error. Just a minute later a free-kick from O’Donaghue found the big centre-half’s head but Barclay pulled off a fine save.

After 22 minutes Elgin’s dangerous ploy of playing an offside trap was exposed by a clever ball over the top from Cramb that picked out Dean Richardson. His run down the left ended with a cut inside and a low shot that beat Ridgers and went into the net off the far post.

Two minutes later 2-0 became 3-0 and again it was Elgin’s high line that caused them the problems. This time it was Gary Kelly’s ball in behind the square Elgin defence that released Craig Donaldson. The Shire man took the ball to the bye-line and cut it back across the box for the in-rushing Kaczan to knock it into his own net.

Elgin clearly felt a sense of injustice but they managed to play themselves back into things. Darren Shalliker came close with an effort at the back post on 33 minutes but it was blocked for a corner. Four minutes later O’Donaghue hit a 20 yard free-kick which shaved the top of Barclay’s crossbar.

The visitors remained a threat from setpieces and after 39 minutes they got a goal back from a corner kick. O’Donaghue’s flag kick was flicked on at the near post for Guy Kerr, who collected the ball before firing high into the roof of Barclay’s net.

Five Minutes before the interval Shire were awarded a free-kick in a dangerous position 20 yards from goal but Cramb’s effort was just too high to trouble Ridgers.

After 51 minutes Rodgers burst clear of the defence down the left before whipping over a cross to Kelly whose shot was blocked by David Hind. The rebound fell to Cramb who cracked in a shot which Ridgers did well to save. A minute later Michael Bolochoweckyj headed home a David Dunn corner but the goal was disallowed for a foul on Hind.

But Shire could not be stopped and after 57 minutes it was 4-1. Cramb fed Rodgers who ran through a huge hole in the centre of the Elgin defence to shoot past the exposed Ridgers.

 On 63 minutes Elgin pulled a goal back in controversial circumstances. Kenny Wright pounced on a rebound after Barclay had tipped away Mark Nicolson’s shot and although Bolochoweckyj headed clear both referee and linesman awarded a goal despite the protest from the home defence.

Cramb’s day came to an end after 65 minutes when he was replaced by Marc McKenzie, while Sean Anderson came on for Dunn. McKenzie’s pace twice took him clear of the Elgin defence but on the first occasion he was denied by a saving tackle from Nicholson and then he could only fire straight at Ridgers with the goal at his mercy.

Elgin kept trying to get back into the game but although they had plenty of possession they couldn’t trouble Barclay. However they were unfortunate not to make it 4-3 when Jason Crooks hit a 20 yard volley that came crashing back off the crossbar on 81 minutes.

Squib had better luck as a provider than taker of chances. His pacy left wing run ended with a low cross to the back post where Craig Donaldson slid in to guide the ball into the net to make it 5-2 after 86 minutes.

Shire : Barclay, Hay, Richardson, Forrest, Bolochoweckyj, Kelly, Donaldson, Ure, Cramb(McKenzie 65), Dunn(Anderson 65), Rodgers.

Elgin City : Ridgers, Nicholson, Kerr, Hind, Kaczan, McDonald, Wight, O’Donaghue, Shalliker, Crooks, Allan(MacKay 73).

Referee : D. Nicols

Attendance : 352