Elgin City 2 Stranraer 1: Back-to-back wins for Black and Whites as new boy Dayshonne Golding inspires second half comeback against Stranraer
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Two second half penalties saw Elgin City come from behind to make it back-to-back wins for manager Allan Hale.
Trailing to a Deryn Lang goal at the break, the Black and Whites stepped up their efforts with a strong second half show to earn full points, a result which takes them up to eighth in League 2.
New loan signing Dayshonne Golding won the last minute penalty which saw City home, and was awarded the man of the match award on his debut.
Russell Dingwall netted the first stop kick to level and sub Liam Harvey converted from 12 yards for the 89th minute winner which thrilled the Borough Briggs crowd.
There was an enforced change for City manager Allan Hale as injury to Ross County loanee - who scored against Peterhead last week - saw him unfit even to take his place on the bench and he was pulled out at the last minute.
Rory MacEwan also carried a knock from last week and was only on the bench. Brian Cameron was back from a one-match ban and Hale handed a debut to Cove Rangers loan player Dayshonne Golding.
His other new capture from this week, left back Lyall Booth was on the bench.
It was cat-and-mouse in the opening minutes but Stranraer had more purpose in their play and soon gained a territorial advantage.
On 12 minutes James Dolan rescued the ball from the byline and cut inside to fire a shot which Elgin keeper Tom McHale did well to push over the bar.
Stranraer centre back Craig Ross then headed just over from Chris Johnston’s corner.
Seven minutes later Elgin had an escape when another Johnstone corner on the left found Kyle Girvan unmarked at the back post but he nodded wide with the goal at his mercy.
An Elgin attack on 24 minutes led to a Stranraer goal on the break. Ross Draper’s pass was intercepted by Finn Ecrepont who breezed past a series of challenges to run half the length of the park before setting up Dolan.
Dolan’s shot was hooked on to his own bar by defender Blair McKenzie but Deryn Lang managed to scramble home the rebound.
Two minutes later City should have levelled when a Robert Jones cross was cleared only as far as Cameron, who couldn’t keep his 12-yard first-time effort down.
Six minutes later, home captain Matthew Cooper charged down a clearance and fired in a drive which keeper Lewis Budinauckas smothered.
New boy Golding got his first chance to shine six minutes before half time, breaking down the right and cutting in for a low shot which was netbound until defender Ross hacked it clear in the goalmouth.
City finished the half on top but could have no complaints about the half time score of 1-0 to the visitors.
Golding was starting to look lively on the right flank and he set up Jones for an acrobatic volley which spun off target on 49 minutes.
Elgin were awarded a penalty on 56 minutes when Jones was clattered by the advancing Budinauckas as he flicked a through ball past him in the box.
Dingwall’s kick was reached by the Stranraer keeper but the ball spun back over him into the net and City were level.
Budinauckas then saved at the feet of Golding from a Dingwall through ball on 64 minutes.
Four minutes later, good play on the Stranraer right by Matty Grant created a back post opening for Dolan but he volleyed wide of the mark.
Jake Dolzanski was inches away from scoring a second for City with a header from a Dingwall free kick.
With time running out, Elgin launched an 89th minute attack and Golding broke into the penalty area in front of Stranraer stopper Kyle Girvan, who clipped his heels and ref Colin Whyte pointed to the spot for a second time.
Sub Liam Harvey, on the park for only a few minutes, grabbed the ball ahead of first scorer Dingwall and promptly drilled it home for a dramatic winning goal.
City now head to Forfar Athletic next week looking for their first away win of the season, but with a spring in their step.
Elgin: McHale; Cooper, Dolzanski, Ewan, McKenzie; Cameron, Draper, Dingwall; Golding, Jones (Harvey 80), Jamieson (Taylor 73).
Subs: Booth, MacEwan, Barron, Cairns, MacInnes, Lawrence.
Stranraer: Budinauckas; Grant, Ross,McQueen, Girvan, Ecrepont; Johnston (Fleming 66), Forrest; Robertson (Hawkshaw 75), Dolan; Lang (Orr 66).
Subs: Williamson, Walker, McDonald, Strachan, Downie
Referee: Colin Whyte
Att: 661
