Elgin City 1-0 Clyde
Table toppers Elgin City were forced to hang on for a single goal victory against a battling nine-man Clyde side yesterday.
There was a pre match scare when the referee decided a pitch inspection was necessary, and the match was finally declared on at 2.10pm.
Barry Ferguson was left with a depleted squad, having to make five enforced changes from the side that travelled to East Fife a fortnight ago. On the positive side, Michael Bolochowekcyj returned from suspension and Marvin Andrews came into the side for Mark McLaughlin.
The Bully Wee got off to the worst possible start when Bolochowekcyj handled in the box after just three minutes and Gunn gratefully converted the penalty.
Immediately on the restart, Gormley missed the opportunity to level the score with a close range effort that just cleared the bar. From then until half-time it was the away side who threatened through efforts from Linton, Marsh and Gormley, all of whom went close, while Elgin failed to register a shot on target, despite their own periods of pressure.
Just after the restart, Elgin defender Darryl McHardy pulled down David Gormley just on the edge of the penalty area, denying the Clyde forward a clear goalscoring opportunity, and was shown a straight red card.
Clyde continued to assert themselves but Scott Durie was mysteriously sent off four minutes later for a second yellow card. The visitors continued to hold the upper hand and Higgins went close twice in the space of two minutes, on the hour mark.
Clyde were dealt a further blow when John Gibson was adjudged to have handled just outside the box and was shown a straight red card. Mark McMillan therefore came on to make his club debut and Sean Higgins made way for the young goalkeeper.
Remarkably, The Bully Wee stepped up the pressure and made a series of chances, all of which they failed to convert, through a combination of bad luck and frantic finishing, and the game ended with the home side hanging on to register a victory.
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