Advantage The Citizens but it’s still all to play for
Edinburgh City assistant Grant Murray says his team has work to do to reach the League 1 play-off final despite winning the first leg at Elgin.
Josh Campbell’s strike in first-half injury time earned the Citizens a priceless lead, but Murray warned: “It’s only one goal in it and Elgin are more than capable of causing us problems on Tuesday.
“They were on top in the first half when we scored at just the right time, and it was a far better second-half performance from us.”
Elgin manager Gavin Price said: “It never happened for us today, but it’s all over 180 minutes and we will be positive going into the second game. Hopefully, we will get the breaks this time.”
Elgin top scorer Kane Hester twice forced saves from Edinburgh keeper Calum Antell in the opening minutes as the home side started well. Then a Russell Dingwall cross from the right saw Hester make a near-post flick, but Antell made an important block on 15 minutes.
Edinburgh’s Ouzy See seized on a loose clearance on 29 minutes and lobbed keeper Tom Mchale, but the ball dropped wide of the target.
Hester was causing the visitors problems and he shot just wide on 31 minutes from good position. Soon after, Josh Campbell tried his luck for the away team from distance and forced a stop for Mchale.
It was the The Citizens who made the important scoring breakthrough right on half-time, Campbell stroking home from 10 yards after See had charged down a clearance from Elgin’s Darryl Mchardy.
Liam Brown had a chance to make it 2-0 on the hour, but fired wide after Danny Jardine put him through on goal.
A break down the left by scorer Campbell created a shooting chance for Danny Handling. His effort hit an Elgin arm at point-blank range, but ref Alan Newland waved away the penalty appeals.
On 70 minutes, Elgin’s Josh Peters fired a low drive inches wide of the post.
Then a break by Cameron down the right led to Conor O’keefe trying a lob which didn’t have enough strength.
On 83 minutes, Antell rescued his team
with a good stop at his far post to block Mchardy’s header from an Archie Macphee cross.
Elgin were piling on the pressure and, from a Macphee corner, Stephen Bronsky’s header was cleared off the line by Robbie Mcintyre, before Craig Brown volleyed the rebound wide.
Hester burst through in stoppage-time, but Antell managed to touch his drive over, earning Edinburgh a crucial first leg win.