Pridebut nocup gloryfor Price’s players

Elgin City manager Gavin Price was proud of his players despite the Borough Briggs side exiting the William Hill Scottish Cup at Dumbarton on Saturday.

Price’s side created several good opportunities during the 90 minutes and if they had earned a second bite of the cherry against the Championship side in a replay no one could have complained.

However, the loss of a deflected goal and the width of a post saw Elgin come up short, with Price saying: “I am disappointed by the result but I am not disappointed by the players or the performance. “I thought we deserved to get at least a draw out of the game. I am very pleased with the manner of our performance, the effort that was put in.

“We had to change things around as we were missing the three loan players but I am pleased with the boys who came in.”

Stuart Carswell’s 22-yard free kick that caught Marc Walters flat-footed after it struck Thomas Reilly’s head and flew off in another direction and into the net on 23 minutes came not long after Chris McLeish was denied by homekeeper Scott Gallacher from close range.

In the second half Brian Cameron struck a post and Reilly was inches out with a powerful drive to confirm it was not to be Elgin’s day.

Price added: “It is one of those hard-luck stories in terms of a deflected goal against us, creating a lot of chances and not taking them.

“We thought that we would get some joy at hitting Dumbarton on the counterattack and that is what happened early on when Chris had his chance. Their goalkeeper produced a great save. As it turns out, it was one goal that won the game and unfortunately we never got it.”

Price is sure that his side will bounce back.

“The result at Dumbarton was a blip but the performance was not.”