Elgin City defeat Fraserburgh in Borough Briggs friendly with several trialists impressing for William Hill League 2 side
Two pre-season friendlies - and two wins.
Elgin City beat Fraserburgh 4-1 on Tuesday night to add to a 4-0 success at Lossiemouth for the Archibald twins’ testimonial on Saturday.
The Black and Whites played a number of trialists, including soon-to-be confirmed signing Jack MacIver who netted two spectacular second half goals in the Fraserburgh success.
City, with MacIver joined by fellow summer capture Miko Virtanen in the starting line-up and a third fresh face, ex-Ross County defender Connall Ewan on the bench, produced some fluid passages of play in the match.
Kane Hester had a volley blocked, Lewis Hyde shot weakly at keeper Andy Reid after going clear on goal and MacIver twice went close before crossing for Virtanen to head wide.
Former Don Virtanen impressed in a defensive midfield role, prompting Hyde and Mark Gallagher to play higher up the field.
It was Hyde who set up Hester for the opening goal on 22 minutes with a run to the bye line and a low cross which the striker controlled and made space to fire home.
Russell Dingwall limped off for City two minutes later, replaced by Dylan Gavin, while Fraserburgh’s Sean Butcher had a goal disallowed for offside.
The Buchan visitors threatened on several occasions with City keeper Tom McHale forced to pull off a good save from Liam Strachan’s deflected strike.
Hyde then produced his second assist of the night with a perfect through pass for Gallagher to round the advancing Reid and make it 2-0 on 35 minutes.
Former Elgin player Lewis Duncan looked prominent in Fraserburgh’s forays and he teed up Butcher to force another McHale save.
At the other end Jack Murray’s effort was cleared in the goalmouth and MacIver’s follow-up was palmed to safety by Reid.
Logan Watt and Willie West both missed good opportunities for Broch in the closing moments of the first half.
Elgin manager Allan hale rang the changes at the break, bringing on a trialist keeper for McHale and introducing Matthew Cooper on his 31st birthday and new boy Ewan to the defence, along with two attacking trialists.
Gavin just failed to turn in a chipped ball across goal from one of the trialists, before MacIver made it 3-0 with a well-struck 30-yarder on 64 minutes.
Australian youngster Noah Grieve, who scored twice at Lossiemouth on Saturday, replaced one of the attacking trialists who had picked up a hamstring strain, and the teenager fired just wide with an early opportunity.
MacIver then made it 4-0 with another perfectly-delivered free kick from wide on the right which caught out sub keeper Joe Barbour and crashed in off the far post.
City’s half time attacking trialist produced a burst of pace to go clear in the box and bring out the best of Barbour, while Cooper headed over from a MacIver corner.
Fraserburgh managed an 87th minute consolation when sub Scott Barbour headed in a West cross from the right from close range.
Elgin: McHale (Trialist B 46), Cameron (Trialist C 74), Draper (Ewan 46), Murray (Trialist F 74), Booth (Cooper 46), Virtanen, Hyde (Trialist E 46), Gallagher (Fraser 74), Trialist A, Hester (Trialist D 46, Grieve 70), Dingwall (Gavin 24). Sub: Sargent.
Fraserburgh: Reid, Aitken, Simpson (Garden 79), West, Hawkins, Buchan, Lawrence (Young 46), Duncan (Davidson 66), Strachan (Beagrie 66), Butcher (Barbour 66), Watt (Robertson 79).
Ref: J Kennedy