Watch: Elgin City manager Gavin Price praises his team after their 2-0 win over Stirling Albion in the Betfred Cup to kick off their 2020-21 season
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
ELGIN City got off to a winning start in the Betfred Cup despite goalscorer Kane Hester's red card against Stirling Albion.
Manager Gavin Price, fresh from hearing that he is to be awarded an MBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours List, was delighted with the 2-0 win at Borough Briggs.
Price handed a first appearance to defender Andy McDonald, who has returned to the club on loan from St Cadocs, as a second half sub.
He praised midfielders Russell Dingwall - who scored City's clinching penalty - and Brian Cameron for their outstanding display in the middle of the park.
And he revealed that he expects to complete another signing during the week, a permanent deal to bring a wide player into his squad in time for the League 2 opener at Stranraer.
Watch video interview with Gavin Price below:
Although spectators were not allowed inside Borough Briggs, the club streamed live pay-per-view coverage to fans online with a new state-of-the-art camera system - which didn't get off to the best of starts.
Fans struggled to get logged in for the early moments and there was no sound for long periods, but by the time the main action arrived, everyone was tuned in.
In their first competitive match in seven months, Elgin started brightly but Stirling soon settled into a rhythm and had the game's first big chance.
Striker Andy Ryan beat his man in the box and rounded Tom McHale, only to fire into the side netting.
Kane Hester tested Binos keeper Cammy Binnie with a left foot drive while Aiden Sopel went close with a header but there was no first half scoring breakthrough.
Smart Osadolor had two close range opportunities at the start of the second half, one blocked and the other skied high over from Sopel's knock down.
At the other end Elgin keeper McHale saved well from ex-City man Declan Byrne, while there was a home scare on 63 minutes when Stirling defender Kyle Banner's header hit the bar.
But midway through the second half, Hester carried on his fine pre-season form by collecting Matthew Cooper's pass and firing through a congested penalty box to beat Binnie and open the scoring.
Hester's celebrations turned to despair within four minutes as he was shown a second yellow card - his first was for dissent before half time - for an unintentional high boot while attempting to volley a bouncing ball.
Elgin regrouped and the tireless Russell Dingwall won a penalty by tempting Jordan McGregor into a tackle on the edge of the box on 79 minutes, following a charge forward.
Dingwall took the kick himself and netted comfortably to purt City 2-0 up on 79 minutes.
He also went close with a free kick and squandered a close range effort at full stretch as Elgin finished stronly with ten men.
Sub Joel MacBeath also passed up a good opportunity but the Black and Whites comfortably held on for victory, and now go to Montrose in midweek for their second group match - without the suspended Hester.
Elgin: McHale, Wilson (McDonald 46), Spark, Cooper, Bronsky, Dingwall, O’Keefe (Jamieson 90), Cameron, Hester, Osadolor (Mailer 76), Sopel (MacBeath 67).
Subs: Peters, MacEwan, Hay, Thomson, Kelly (GK).
Stirling: Binnie, Banner, Creaney (Docherty 75), McLean, McGregor, K.Roberts (Thomson 62), Ryan, Wilson (Heaver 75), Byrne, Leitch, S.Roberts (Moore 70).
Subs: Greenhorn, Carey, Magee, Law (GK).
Referee: Dan McFarlane
