The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Dodd is planning City gala day in cup
Elgin midfielder taking lower-league experience into away tie
will mean they play the ball quite well. They would be about the same level as a good junior side, so it’s a tie to be wary of.”
After being limited to mainly substitute appearances at the start of the season, Dodd has enjoyed a run of starts, scoring in victories against Stirling Albion and Edinburgh City.
Dodd reckons he is beginning to adapt to the step up to League 2, adding: “I found it a bit difficult to start with, although that was down to a couple of niggling injuries.
“The league is a bit quicker and more physical. I’ve had to get fitter as it’s a step up from the juniors.
“After training with the squad for a few weeks I now feel more comfortable.
“When I came here I didn’t think too much about it, I just wanted to try to get myself into the team and I’ve enjoyed my time so far. It’s been great to get a couple of goals as well.”
Dodd was joined in making the move to Borough Briggs by former Swifts team-mate Chris McLeish, which helped him settle at his new club.
He added: “I played with Chris for two seasons. There are five or six players who come from the central belt, so we travel together between two cars for home games, and for training in Inverness on a Thursday.
“It helps there are a few of us, rather than just travelling on my own.” Elgin City manager Jim Weir is determined to avoid the hurt of another cup upset in today’s Scottish Cup trip to Gala Fairydean Rovers.
Weir was in charge of the Arbroath side that was defeated 1-0 by Irvine Meadow in the same competition in 2009, with the then Division 2 club becoming the first senior outfit to be defeated by junior opposition.
Gala are 12th in the Lowland League and without a victory since their 2-1 home win against Fraserburgh in the previous round last month.
Haunted by painful memories of seven years ago, Weir has urged his players to show no complacency in their trip to Netherdale.
He said: “I’ve been there before with Arbroath. It was only my third game as manager there and it was not a pleasant experience. Gala have had some indifferent results, but anything can happen in the cup.
“If the players approach this game in the same manner as they have done for the away games they’ve played so far I would expect to progress, but we need to have the right attitude this weekend.”
City were pushed all the way in their last match against Lowland League opposition, with Archie Macphee’s 89th-minute winner required to defeat Spartans 1-0 in last season’s Scottish Cup second round tie at Borough Briggs.
Elgin have won five of their six away matches in League 2 this season and Weir is determined to keep the momentum going.
Elgin have a doubt about midfielder Thomas Reilly, who has an ankle injury, while fellow midfielder Scott Smith is a long-term absentee after an ankle operation and attacker Ben Cullen is unavailable. Josh Taylor took a significant step in his professional career with a fifthround stoppage of Dave Ryan to win the vacant Commonwealth super lightweight belt at Meadowbank last night.
After flooring the more experienced man from Derby in round three, the 25-year-old former Commonwealth Games gold medallist from Prestonpans finished it off in the fifth to capture his first senior title.
Taylor went into the ring with six straight victories, none of which had gone beyond two rounds, but looked the part when extended against his 33-yearold opponent.
The Scot’s manager Barry McGuigan had admitted that Ryan, former Commonwealth champion and WBC international champion, represented a step up for his fighter but it was one he took in impressive style.
Amid a terrific din, Taylor delivered a couple of
“Taylor finished it off in the fifth to capture his first senior title”
punishing right hands to the ribs of Ryan in round one as both boxers found their range.
A confident second round for the Scot came before he entered the new territory of a third round and he soon had Ryan on the canvas with a left hook, the Englishman taking a count before continuing.
There was a heavy swelling over Ryan’s left eye which further encouraged Taylor, who remained mostly on the front foot, catching his opponent with another brutal body shot at the end of the fourth round.
The fifth round was one too many for the older man. He had to take a standing count of eight when he was sent to the ground with another body shot.
Taylor followed up with a barrage of punches before the referee stepped in to stop further punishment to Ryan.