Elgin City manager Allan Hale watches Borough Briggs defeat to Spartans end six-game unbeaten run and admits his team deserved to lose
The unbeaten run was ended by the league leaders.
Elgin City fell to their first loss in seven games when they went down 3-2 at home to League 2 table toppers Spartans.
City boss Allan Hale had no complaints about the final result, admitting that the capital side deserved their success.
Vastly experienced Spartans striker Marc McNulty was the main difference between the teams with two clinical finishes to help the Edinburgh men go four points clear at the top.
Ross Draper did put Elgin in front against the run of play while sub Ryan Sargent’s first of the season late on proved to be only a consolation.
“I don't think there's a lot between the teams but I do think we deserve to lose the game today and Spartans deserve to beat us,” said Hale.
“I think they had more territory, they picked up more second balls, and they kept the ball ticking over better than what we did.
“We turned the ball over and gave it away too cheaply today, lacked composure and lacked our usual intensity and our structure.
“Spartans have been the top of the league for a reason so you've got to also appreciate that and realise that we can't win every game.
“I don't think there's a lot between the teams which gives me encouragement considering the players we've got to come back in.
“I felt we missed two or three of them today, particularly when we're not playing well you've got certain players that will continue to take that responsibility to take the ball in tight areas and I felt we lacked that wee bit today.
“Probably in both boxes we weren't good enough and that's where games are won and lost ultimately.
“Today we huffed and puffed without creating too many chances. When we did get into areas where we could put a cross in, we didn't do it early enough, we took an extra touch or tried to beat the man two or three times.”
Draper fired home on 32 minutes after the Spartans defence failed to clear a Jack MacIver corner.
It was City’s first real chance after the visitors held a territorial advantage in the first half hour, but they drew level in first half stoppage time when McNulty rounded keeper Tom Ritchie and scored.
A clinical McNulty finish on the hour made it 2-1 and when he went off soon after, his replacement Mark Stowe slipped through on 79 minutes to make it 3-1.
Sargent turned in fellow sub Josh O’Connor’s driven cross on 87 minutes to give City some hope but the home side couldn’t find an equaliser.
Hale handed a debut to Peterhead loan striker Oli Colloty just after the hour mark.