Elgin City 2 Spartans 2: City move up to sixth with hard-fought point
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TWO fine strikes from outside the penalty area secured Elgin City a 2-2 draw with Spartans at Borough Briggs.
City trailed to a Blair Henderson strike at half-time, but long-range efforts from Brian Cameron and Ryan MacLeman saw them turn the game around before the hour mark.
Henderson, who hit a hat-trick in a 4-0 win for Spartans in Allan Hale’s first home match in charge, netted after a soft-looking penalty award for a final score of 2-2.
Spartans had the first chance within 60 seconds when Marc McNulty’s cutback from the right was fired goalwards by Bradley Whyte, but an Elgin body got between ball and net.
City’s first chance came on three minutes when Robert Jones turned the ball over the top on the half turn.
Michael Dangana hobbled off injured in a blow for the Black and Whites on 20 minutes, replaced by Keith Bray.
Just a minute after that substitution, McNulty’s left-footed effort rolled an inch wide of City’s left-hand post.
Spartans failed to properly clear a free-kick on the half-hour mark with the ball falling to Brian Cameron whose rasping effort flew a yard over the top.
That was just two minutes before Spartans went ahead through Blair Henderson when he found space in the box and slotted the ball calmly past a helpless Tom McHale.
City started the second half at great speed. Keith Bray had the first shot in anger when he dragged an effort wide from the edge of the box 60 seconds after the restart.
Just 90 seconds later City were level. Brian Cameron, moved up top for the second period, picked the ball up 25 yards from goal and fired a fantastic strike into the top right-hand corner.
Goal scorer turned provider as City completed a turnaround before the hour mark. Cameron played a short pass to Ryan MacLeman, who took on a couple of Spartans defenders before firing a dipping effort into the bottom left corner from the edge of the box.
The lead was short-lived for City, though. The visitors were awarded a penalty in the 65th minute when Marc McNulty was knocked to the ground by a combination of City defenders.
Henderson stepped up and confidently stroked the ball home for his second, sending McHale flying into the wrong corner.
City remained on top for the majority of the closing period, but the chance to go ahead flew from visiting winger McNulty’s foot over the crossbar in the 84th minute. He did well to take on three or four Elgin defenders but lashed his finish over the bar from a tight angle.
The final chance came when Jamie Dishington was played through out wide for the visitors in added time, but, under pressure from an on-rushing McHale, could only find the sidenetting.
