Elgin City can take encouragement from home form ahead of Bonnyrigg Rose clash
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
ELGIN City crashed to their seventh successive away loss after a 3-1 defeat against Stranraer on Saturday.
However, City are undefeated in their last four matches at Borough Briggs – dating back to a 1-0 reverse against Stranraer at the start of August.
Manager Barry Smith hopes that fact can give his players confidence heading into tomorrow's match against Bonnyrigg Rose at home.
Smith has taken charge of two home matches since he took over from Ross Draper and seen his side beat Dumbarton and draw with Stenhousemuir.
"We have to focus on the four points from six at home and be positive," he said. "We haven't lost a home game since I came in.
"We have got to look forward to the game, play on the front foot and look to get points.
"Every game is different. Bonnyrigg will try to impose their way of playing on us, but we have got to focus on ourselves, be positive and play more in the opponent's half."
City – looking to recover from a 6-0 defeat in the Scottish Cup against Jeanfield Swifts – made their longest league trip of the season to Stranraer on Saturday.
Matthew Cooper was missing through illness and Tom McHale came down sick before kick-off, meaning Kyle King was thrown in at the deep end in goals.
Within four minutes he was picking the ball out of his net. A penalty awarded to the home side was converted by Dylan Forrest for 1-0.
Matthew Grant made it 2-0 before the half hour mark and Stranraer's third was scored by James Dolan two minutes after half-time.
Robert Jones grabbed his first goal in black and white with a quarter of an hour to play, but it proved to be a consolation.
"We lost a penalty after three minutes which was very, very soft," Smith added. "That put us on the back foot straight away.
"The other two goals were preventable, but the players showed spirit in the second half and didn't down tools. They kept playing, got a goal and had a couple of other half chances.
"It was tough with Matthew Cooper falling ill on the Thursday and Tom McHale ill in the warm-up. A bug has gone through the team, Blair Mackenzie had it as well, so it has all been thrown at us."
Smith expects McHale and Cooper to be available for the Bonnyrigg match, with goalscorer Robert Jones in the running for his first City start. Russell Dingwall remains out with a dislocated elbow.
However, even with everyone available, the squad still isn't what Smith hopes.
"Even when we have a full squad we are still missing in certain positions with the recruitment previously," he added.
"Blair (Mackenzie) is playing at left-back when he is a centre-back and Mitch Taylor at left-back when he is a winger.
"We have no natural right-winger and are playing Liam Harvey there when he's a striker.
"We are moving boys about, but hopefully when January comes the club are able to sign players that enhance and balance the squad.
"It is really tough getting free agents so we will see who we can attract in January."
