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Premier Sports Cup: Elgin City start another season by welcoming Arbroath to Borough Briggs on Saturday


By Craig Christie

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ELGIN City boss Gavin Price won’t have high expectations when his team begins their 22nd SPFL season tomorrow.

Elgin City manager Gavin Price. Picture: Daniel Forsyth..
Elgin City manager Gavin Price. Picture: Daniel Forsyth..

With City at least two weeks behind in their pre-season due to a Covid-19 outbreak, Price will use the Premier Sports campaign as an extension of their preparations for the all-important League Two start on July 31.

The Black and Whites play host to Arbroath in their first group game, before heading to Premiership side Dundee United on Wednesday.

Two City players, Archie Macphee and Matthew Cooper, have been isolating and missed their club’s 5-0 defeat against Ross County last weekend, and the midweek 2-1 win at Strathspey Thistle.

Neither will feature against Arbroath due to their inactivity, and Price instead could look to youth and blood youngsters like Dylan Lawrence and Fin Allen in the four group games before the league start.

“I’m not saying we’re sacrificing the League Cup this season because we obviously want to win every game we play in,” he said.

“But our priority is the league and getting everyone in the squad ready for July 31.

“We’ve got the four cup games and we are playing Nairn on our free Saturday (July 17) so that will give more players a chance to get some game time.”

One player keen to get minutes under his belt is new centre-back Creag Little, who tested positive for Covid-19 earlier in the pre-season and missed two weeks of fitness work while he was in isolation.

The former Stenhouse-muir and Queen’s Park stopper was only able to train with his new club for the first time two days before the County friendly, and is eager to get more games now.

Creag Little in the thick of the action for Elgin City. Photo: Bob Crombie
Creag Little in the thick of the action for Elgin City. Photo: Bob Crombie

“I travelled up on Thursday, the first day that I was out of isolation,” he said.

“For the last two weeks I’ve not been able to do anything, so I’ve been struggling.

“Sixty minutes (against Ross County) was more than enough. It’s surprises you how much fitness you lose in a short period of time, but this game will have done me the world of good.

“The games are coming up thick and fast, twice a week and it will get the boys up to speed in no time.

“It’s always disappointing to get beat by a few goals but the most important thing right now is gearing up for the start of the league season.”

Price is also running the rule over trialist Dominic Slattery, who played for Caledonian Braves in the Lowland League last season and featured in Elgin’s friendly at Strathspey.

Scoring the City winner in Grantown was teenager Dylan Lawrence and Price added: “The two young boys, Dylan and Fin are doing well and because I feel they’ve got potential, I’ve kept them in the first team squad instead of loaning them out.

“I would have thought they will make an appearance during the cup games, and they are in there on merit what they are doing on the pitch just now.”

Darryl McHardy strained his groin in midweek but should be fit to face Arbroath.


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