Elgin City may be one of Scottish football’s last remaining undefeated clubs but manager Allan Hale feels his team hasn’t reached their peak in William Hill SPFL League Two
Elgin City may be on a club record-equalling run of results right now, but manager Allan Hale believes there’s even better to come.
City’s 1-0 win at Peterhead on Saturday saw them end the first quarter of their League Two campaign undefeated.
Four wins and five draws equalled the nine-game unblemished sequence from 12 years ago when City were competing against Rangers in Division 3.
Hale is thrilled by his team’s start to the season, saying it has gone beyond his expectations.
“The pleasing thing for me is that I think there’s still more to come from the group,” he said.
“I think there’s improvements to be made in all aspects of our play. Our forward players, once they do start hitting the back of the net - which they will - then hopefully we can maintain the good form and to do that for the next three quarters as well.”
City’s tally of 17 points from their nine games sees them in second spot, four points behind leaders East Fife who they defeated 4-2 in the opening game of the league campaign.
“(The players) have exceeded expectations in the fact that we are still unbeaten,” Hale added. “At the start of the season if you offered us 17 points after quarter one, you would absolutely take that.
“There is frustration that there’s not more points in there as well, with a couple of games we have drawn which we were frustrated not to win.
“As we are finding out every week it is really small margins at this level and the fact that we have been consistent has been pleasing.
“We have played all the teams now and we have shown up really well in the majority of those games. I think there’s only one or two where I don't think we have reached the levels that we are capable of.
“But there’s no-one getting carried away when we still have 27 games to go. Our form is consistent, not just this season but last season as well and that is really encouraging.”
Hale was thrilled to secure victory at fellow challengers Peterhead on Saturday despite having six players out injured and experienced stopper Ross Draper suspended.
“Both the result and performance were really pleasing. We had to show different characteristics within the game.
“In the first half we imposed ourselves on the game really well, we were on the front foot and made things really difficult for Peterhead to get into any sort of rhythm or fluency in terms of them playing their natural game. We posed a threat, created chances and deservedly got in at half time with a lead.
“In the second half we had to absorb a bit of pressure but I thought defensively the players were outstanding in their ability to attack things inside our 18-yard box. The moments that Peterhead won the first ball, we had the ability to put bodies on the line to make sure that we were preserving our clean sheet and that was really pleasing.
“Peterhead might feel aggrieved that they haven’t taken something from the game as they had two or three clear chances in the second half. I also think at the same time that people can’t really begrudge us the victory.
“The match was a real test, not just being away to Peterhead with their squad having real depth and quality.
“If you look at our bench on Saturday, we had six players out injured and a suspension. We only had Owen Cairns and Kian Leslie who had any senior experience, and Kian is only 19.
“The fact that we had 16, 17, 18 and 19 year olds on the bench and that we are still able to come away with the three points with all those players missing shows that we do have quality.
“It also highlights that the squad depth isn’t as strong as other teams in the league but we are happy with the quality that is within it, which is important.”
City have goalkeeper Tom McHale out for several more weeks with an ankle injury, while captain Matthew Cooper and midfielder Rory MacEwan are making slow but steady returns from long-term injury and will be a few weeks away from a comeback.
Summer signing Lewis Hyde’s leg injury could keep him out for anything between three and seven weeks, and Ryan MacLeman has an ankle problem which may need a fortnight’s rest and recuperation.
Striker Olly McDonald missed the Peterhead win through illness but should return for City’s next outing at Spartans a week on Saturday, and Draper will be free from suspension.
