A fifth successive league defeat coupled with both Clyde and Edinburgh City drawing against Stirling and Berwick respectively saw us fall further behind at the foot of the table.

Stand in manager John Ovenstone made two changes to the side which had lost to Montrose the previous Saturday.

Jamie Pyper and Brad Smith returned to the starting line up with Ali Smith and Ryan Connelly dropping to the bench.

Buchanan had the first chance of the afternoon but his angled shot in the opening minute was held by Watters, while at the other end McGurn parried a 25 yard free kick from Reilly away for a corner.

However with six minutes gone the visitors opened the scoring when Anderson was fouled by Pyper and Brian CAMERON sent McGurn the wrong way with the resultant spot kick.

With ten minutes gone the game was held up for six minutes as the visitors Strapp received treatment following a clash with Garden, who was booked, with the youngster eventually being replaced by Smith.

In 20 minutes Morris sent the ball across the face of the Elgin goal with Buchanan just failing to connect and six minutes later he was brought down on the edge of the box with Mullen rolling the subsequent free kick to Rutherford whose shot was blocked by the defence.

Rutherford then saw another free kick blocked just after the half hour while McGurn held a shot from Anderson.

Minutes later Reilly fed the ball to Cameron with McGurn blocking his shot at point blank range with Rutherford then clearing the follow up from Dingwall off the line.

Eadie then got on the end of a free kick from Reilly but his header went wide but with 41 minutes gone Elgin got a second goal when Anderson fed the ball to CAMERON in the box and he slotted home his second goal of the afternoon.

Dingwall then came close before McGurn pulled off another two point blank saves from Reilly and Cameron as the first half drew to a close.

The second half opened with Waters holding a header from Morris while McLeish shot over from the edge of the box.

There was then a flurry of cards with Mullen being sent off for an off the ball incident while McGurn and Rutherford were booked.

Midway through the half Swann sent in a cross to Morris but his close range shot was saved by the diving keeper.

Elgin then went up the park and got a third goal when an angled shot from Thomas REILLY looped over the defence and into the far corner of the net.

In 70 minutes we were then reduced to nine men when Syme picked up a second yellow card.

With seven minutes remaining we pulled a goal back when Cameron MUIRHEAD , who came off the bench to replace injured sub Connelly, dispossessed McHardy 25 yards out and ran in to slot the ball past the keeper.


TEAM: McGurn, Pyper, Rutherford, Mullen, Rumsby, Syme, Miller, Buchanan, Morris, Garden (Connelly 63) (Muirhead 79) & B Smith (Swann 63). Subs not used – Penman, A Smith, Stirling & Whitaker.

Goal: Muirhead (83).
Booked: Syme (8), Garden (10), Buchanan (30), McGurn (54), Rutherford (58), Rumsby (77).
Sent off: Mullen (55), Syme (70).

ELGIN CITY: Waters, Dodd, Strapp (Smith 16), McHardy, Eadie, McGovern, Anderson (A Sutherland 72), Reilly, McLeish, Cameron (Fergusson 77) & Dingwall. Subs not used – Dear, Allan, Bronsky & Reid.

Goals: Cameron (6, 41), Reilly (66).