Elgin midfielder Mark Nicolson reckons City were a good match for League 1 Dunfermline at Borough Briggs.
Elgin found themselves 5-1 down late in the second half in this Scottish Cup tie, but the fact that they pulled back two goals shows they never threw in the towel.
Nicolson said: “We let ourselves down in the second half. We got back into it but it was too late by then. Dunfermline’s passing and movement was very good, but there wasn’t too much in it. A brief spell in the second half just ruined it for us.”
Nicolson had been out of action since injuring a stomach muscle last season but lasted 71 minutes against a full-time Pars side.
He added: “Their players are a bit fitter than me anyway which made it a hard game to come back into. But it’s good to be back playing. It’s been a nightmare last six months for me and I just want to put that behind me and get fit again.”
The home side threatened with an early half-chance when Shane Sutherland’s header drifted just past the post.
Elgin took the lead after 16 minutes when Craig Gunn’s free kick picked out the head of Jamie Duff and he flighted the ball beyond the dive of Ryan Scully.
The lead lasted just three minutes, however, as Raymond Jellema came out to meet Ross Millen in a wide position and the Pars right back pulled the ball back for Ryan Wallace to tuck home.
Pars manager Jim Jefferies was then directed to the stand for a heated exchange with referee Barry Cook which followed a booking for Josh Falkingham in 23 minutes. Falkingham played a key role in the goal which put Dunfermline ahead for the first time as he threaded a ball between the Elgin defence for Wallace to steer the ball home with a fine right-foot finish. The Pars were handed a great chance to extend their lead in 63 minutes as a stray leg from David Niven caught substitute Jordan Moore inside the box.
Moore stepped up to send the ball into Jellema’s left-hand corner to make it 3-1, despite the goalkeeper diving the correct way.
It was all but game over two minutes later when a long ball forward from defence was headed back towards his own keeper by Duff, with Moore nipping in to score his second before left back Alex Whittle made it 5-1 with an excellent 20-yard effort.
Elgin replied as Sam Urquhart set up Dennis Wyness to fire the ball home eight minutes from time, before substitute Dachi Khutsishvili nodded in his first for the club.