Scottish Cup: Rory MacEwan's stunning strike live on BBC Scotland can't prevent Elgin City from being taken to a replay by Clydebank at Holm Park
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ELGIN City manager Gavin Price admitted he was relieved to take Clydebank to a replay in Monday night's televised Scottish Cup second round tie.
In front of a live BBC Scotland audience, City impressed in the first half and led through Rory MacEwan's deadly 25-yard strike on 14 minutes.
But the Black and Whites lost their way in the second half and were pegged back when a Euan Spark mistake led to a penalty equaliser midway through the half.
West of Scotland League Clydebank, roared on by a sell-out crowd, pinned Elgin back in the final quarter but the visitors survived to force a Borough Briggs replay on Saturday.
"It's been the story of our season so far, a bit Jekyll and Hyde," manager Price told BBC Scotland in his post-match interview.
"We were so in control in the first half, yet we are probably glad to be in the cup (at the end). We were kind of hanging on.
"We played a lot of good stuff at the start of the game but we've got to keep that going.
"(We) went down a gear and we gave them a sniff and they got the crowd on their side at the start of the second half.
"The least they (Clydebank) deserved was a replay so we've got to be much better on Saturday."
Price sprang a surprise in his starting line-up by handing 18-year-old Dylan Lawrence his starting debut in attack.
The Elgin boss was without loan trio Tom Grivosti, Ross Draper and Jaime Wilson as well as injured top scorer Kane Hester.
Matthew Cooper was pressed into action for his first match since July, playing at centre back.
Straight from kick-off, Elgin got the match in their stride and dominated possession and territory.
Captain Spark forced a good save out of keeper Jamie Donnelly on 14 minutes but the home side failed to clear their lines and Brian Cameron teed up MacEwan for a sweet strike from distance to put the League 2 side 1-0 up.
BBC commentator Rob MacLean described Elgin as a "well-oiled machine" as they passed the ball around and pressurised their hosts, without creating too much in the way of clearcut chances.
Conor O'Keefe missed the target with two openings, while Clydebank gradually grew into the contest and tested keeper Tom McHale before half time through Joe Slattery's 30-yard effort.
The feeling was that for all City's dominance, their slender half time lead may not be enough and that proved to be the case in the second half.
Immediately Clydebank came out with a greater purpose about their play and quickly reversed the pattern of play, pushing Elgin deeper back into their own territory.
McHale made an important save from Hamish McKinlay when the Bankies broke through shortly after the break, and captain Spark made a crucial challenge to beat home dangerman Nicky Little to the loose ball.
The home side survived a mass scramble from an Elgin corner on 57 minutes, but it was a rare moment of respite for a City team now firmly on the back foot.
Little volleyed a good opportunity over then Bankies' sub Liam McGonigle looped over when he got a sight of goal.
Elgin were struggling to contain Clydebank and on 69 minutes they came undone.
Spark, whose attacking runs were a real threat in the first half, misjudged a bouncing ball and when McGonigle nipped past him into the box, the skipper's lunging challenge brought him down for a clear penalty.
Clydebank top scorer Little had scored 23 penalties out of 25 for the club, and duly sent McHale the wrong way from the spot to level things up.
Darryl McHardy headed over in a rare visiting foray while Clydebank forced a series of corners and setpieces to keep their opponents under pressure.
Centre back Jamie Darroch twice wasted good headed chances and McHale was forced to palm away another effort from the big defender as Elgin hung on to force a second game this weekend.
The winners of the Borough Briggs match on Saturday will host Clyde in the third round.
Clydebank: Donnelly, Hodge, McLean, Darroch, Niven, Byrne (McGonigle 59), Black, Slattery, McKinlay (Lynass 83), Little (Mulcahy 79), Gallagher. Subs: Stevenson, McHugh, Bailey, Johnstone, Holmes, McPherson.
Booked: Darroch, McGonigle.
Elgin: McHale, Spark, Macphee, McHardy, Cooper, MacEwan (Peters 87), R Dingwall, Cameron, Lawrence (Machado 56), T Dingwall, O'Keefe (Mailer 67). Subs: Allen, Sopel, Cooney, Hoban.
Booked: Spark.
Referee: Matthew MacDermid.
Att: 1040
