Elgin City manager Allan Hale delighted by victory over Clyde but says Black and Whites are still in a fight for League 2 safety
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Victory over Clyde was crucial to Elgin City on Tuesday night, but Allan Hale says nothing has been decided in the battle to avoid bottom spot in League 2.
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Picture special from City's victory
The City manager was delighted to watch his team overcome an early deficit against the Bully Wee and fight back for victory.
Elgin’s 2-1 success took them seven points above their opponents, with a home game against East Fife tomorrow offering an opportunity to pick off one of the teams above them.
Boss Hale was guarded in his optimism, although he is seeing encouraging signs in his new look squad.
Competition for places is more intense at the club than it has been for some time, with Hale adding former Aberdeen and Fraserburgh midfielder Lewis Duncan last week following his return from a stint in America.
The manager highlighted the good work carried out by his team against Clyde and challenged them to show the same qualities in each game from now until the end of the campaign.
"We knew that nothing would be decided in terms of league position for ourselves or Clyde," he said. "Nothing changes too much, it’s not as if Clyde are certainties to get relegated and we know that we are still in a fight.
"But what it does is it adds another three points and it closes the gap on the teams above us and that needs to be our focus.
"That and focusing on putting results together where we can start looking up the way."
Hale said his men stuck to the game plan and refused to give up on winning all three points.
"What I saw tonight was a team that responded really well to losing an early goal and put in a really controlled performance, one that was full of commitment, that was full of energy and was full of desire.
"The supporters recognised that and got behind the team and thankfully we were able to get that one chance we were looking for and we were able to put it away."
City went behind after seven minutes but drew level through Russell Dingwall's sublime strike two minutes later.
They were denied what looked like a strong penalty claim for handball, shortly before Dayshonne Golding bundled in the 79th minute winner.
"The response from the team was really good and that’s what we asked before the game, that we played with commitment and energy and we respond to people who question whether the players are fully believing that they can step on.
"What it is, is a welcome three points and it breaks the disappointment of losing the last two games.
"I thought it was handball but I would need to see it again. I always say that the reaction of players tells you whether it was or not and their reaction would suggest to me that it was a penalty.
"In the end thankfully it didn’t matter too much in terms of the outcome of the game because we found the chance and won the game.
"I was delighted for Dayshonne to get his goal because that will settle him down. He was always searching for that goal but I thought every player to a man was exceptional tonight, implemented the game plan really well and did it with conviction and purpose.
"I’m really pleased but it’s important that we don’t get carried away, it’s three points and we need to try and put a run together and start moving up the way."
"We’ve got a squad full of talent and the ability to change things is there for us as well, and the depth is there.
"We will get the boys in on Thursday and give them a recovery session. The ones who didn’t play will get a bit of work and we will take stock of where we are for another important game on Saturday.
"They are all important and we will quickly get this one behind us and we focus our attention on East Fife at the weekend."
