WATCH: Elgin City manager Gavin Price delighted and relieved with his team's 1-0 win over Cowdenbeath at Borough Briggs to end barren League Two run
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ELGIN City got back to winning ways with a 1-0 success over Cowdenbeath, much to the relief of manager Gavin Price.
Archie Macphee's deflected strike ended a run of six games without a win since September for the Black and Whites.
City dominated the whole match but missed numerous chances and made Price sweat for a much-needed victory.
He praised his team's display in his post-match interview, see below.
Price made one change to the team which started at Forfar last week with Darryl McHardy returning from a spell of Covid isolation to replace Ross Draper who had just entered an isolation period.
Kane Hester was again on the Elgin bench and this time fit to play 30 minutes if required.
Price lined up Tom Grivosti, Matthew Cooper and McHardy in a back three with skipper Euan Spark and Macphee playing as wing backs, and Russell Dingwall and Aidan Sopel were pushed on from kidfield to support attacker Jaime Wilson.
Elgin’s poor form of late looked forgotten in the first half as they quickly gained control of the contest.
Dingwall landed an early header on top of the net from a Macphee cross on three minutes, and Brian Cameron fired a chance over.
Cowdenbeath centre back Craig Barr limped off injured after just 13 minutes but the Fifers did have an opening which Tom McHale saved well from Liam Buchanan a minute after the substitution.
Sopel was looking lively and one run from near halfway ended with a firm strike just over the target.
Macphee had a shot deflected past for a corner which Dingwall swung over and Grivosti headed off target with the goal at his mercy.
Dingwall also saw a shot deflected wide and a left foot effort from distance fly past the left hand post.
Just after the half hour, Sopel produced a moment of brilliance to take a ball from the left on his thigh and volley it towards the top corner, only to see the ball crash off the underside of the bar.
The City domination continued with McHardy firing wide from good position and MacEwan blazing over after one of several fine runs down the right from skipper Spark.
When the half time whistle went with the scoreline still blank, Elgin fans were left scratching their heads wondering why their favourites were not comfortably ahead.
The Fifers started the second half well with Liam Buchanan breaking down the right and crossing but Grivosti got his head to the ball to divert it back to McHale.
Sopel tested keeper Cameron Gill with a shot on the turn from a Spark throw on 50 minutes.
An Elgin goal finally arrived on 56 minutes when Macphee found space on the left side of the box and cut on to his right foot to fire in a shot which took a wicked deflection and beat Gill at the post.
At the time of the goal, Hester was stripped and ready to come on as sub, eventually coming on just before the hour mark to replace Wilson.
Sopel was inches away from adding a second with a low drive from a Dingwall cross just wide of the left hand post.
Elgin began to look nervous with their lead, retreating a few yards and inviting pressure which \cowdenbeath were happy to apply.
But the home side continued to create some golden chances.
Hester broke down the left and crossed to MacEwan, whose effort struck defender Harvey Swann and spun towards the line with Elgin claiming it crossed it, but keeper Gill had managed to make the save.
Seconds later Hester burst clear and his fierce hit was parried by Gill.
The Cowdenbeath keeper had a busy spell as he did brilliantly to keep out Spark’s close range header and McHardy turned the loose ball wide of the near post.
City kept pushing and Hester broke clear in the box only to drag his shot wide.
Gill saved a Craig Mailer shot moments later and another from Hester as that second Elgin goal wouldn’t come.
In a nervy last few moments of the game, the visitors nearly levelled from Kyle Miller's deflected shot which McHale gratefully pounced on to ensure that his team was back to winning ways.
Elgin: McHale, Grivosti, Spark, McHardy, Cooper, MacEwan, R Dingwall (Mailer 75), Cameron, Wilson (Hester 58), Sopel (T Dingwall 75), Macphee (O’Keefe 83).
Subs: Peters, Cooney, Allen, Machado, Hoban.
Cowdenbeath: Gill, Thomson (Mahady 63), Swann, O’Connor, C Barr (Mullen 13), Todd, Hutton, Morrison (Miller 75), Coulson, L Buchanan, R Buchanan (R Barr 75).
Subs: Clarke, McGurn, Watson.
Referee: Scott
Att: 650
