Elgin City remain 11 points behind League 2 leaders Forfar Athletic following an entertaining 2-2 draw against the Loons at Borough Briggs yesterday.
David Cox had given the Angus men the lead on 17 minutes, but Chris McLeish equalised for the Black and Whites shortly afterwards.
Defender Darryl McHardy put City ahead shortly before half time when he bundled home following a corner, but Danny Denholm’s goal midway through the second-half salvaged a point for Gary Bollan’s men, just five minutes after Loons captain Stuart Malcolm had been sent off.
Elgin had to avoid losing to keep their title aspirations alive, but City manager Jim Weir was forced to make two changes from the side defeated 3-2 by Arbroath last time out on December 17. Keiran Stewart was out with an ankle injury and Thomas Reilly was suspended, with the pair replaced by Jamie Reid and Matthew Cooper, who was making his 100th appearance for the Black and Whites.
Forfar imposed themselves on the game from the start, with City surviving a let off on 12 minutes in an incredible sequence where both Josh Peters’ free kick and Denholm’s follow-up hit the woodwork, before Gavin Swankie blazed high over the bar.
The home side were keen to raise the impressive 1,091 crowd and Dodd was unfortunate with a long-range effort that flew just over.
Forfar’s attacking quality was obvious and they punished the hosts on 17 minutes when Denholm’s cross sat up for Cox to volley home a superb shot from 12 yards to give the Loons a deserved lead.
City’s response was perfect, however, as they levelled just three minutes later with a delightful move. Cameron set up Shane Sutherland to stroke the ball to the far post for McLeish to thump home.
Elgin turned the game on its head five minutes before the break, with goalkeeper Grant Adam fumbling Moore’s corner, allowing McHardy to scramble the ball in.
City should have extended their lead just three minutes after the break when Sutherland released McLeish in a similar move to that which brought the leveller, but the attacker scooped over from six yards with the goal gaping.
The pair combined again on 55 minutes, with Sutherland this time lashing the ball marginally high of the target.
City were handed a boost on the hour-mark though, when Forfar defender Malcolm was shown a second yellow card for dissent.
The 10 men managed to claw back level on 65 minutes when Andy Munro’s header was blocked on the line but fell to Denholm to lash home.