Darryl McHardy was delighted to finally lead Elgin City out, but gutted he couldn’t lead them back in with three points.
The Borough Briggs skipper has had to wait patiently to reclaim his starting place after spending the first three months of the season sidelined with a dislocated shoulder.
With Elgin centre backs Andy McDonald and David Wilson injured, McHardy was thrown back in alongside Stephen Bronsky
It wasn’t the ideal circumstances for his comeback, but McHardy felt City should have been able to take full points.
The 24 year-old said: “I need to work on my fitness now and cement my place in the starting 11.
“Stephen was struggling and we also missed Brian Cameron in midfield, but we’re disappointed we didn’t win the game because we had the chances.
“The only way I can get fully fit is with more games and that’s what I need now.
“I know myself I’m short of match fitness and it’s been a long time in coming getting a starting place again.
“It will come, and it will help me playing 90 minutes. I should be all the better for it come next weekend.
“That’s the first time since April that I’ve led the team out at Borough Briggs so it’s been a long time.”
Neither goalkeeper was tested during a scrappy first half hour but Rovers finished the half in positive fashion, with Daniel Scally scoring at the second attempt from close range after Declan Byrne teed him up.
Lacklustre Elgin were thrown a lifeline two minutes after the break when they were awarded a spot kick for Jason Krones’ foul on Matty Aitken.
Shane Sutherland blasted his 21st goal of the season to level.
Rovers keeper Ryan Goodfellow parried a Sutherland effort onto the post on 69 minutes, but two minutes later the home side were in front when Rory MacEwan worked a one-two with Sutherland and crashed a shot home.
Elgin’s lead lasted just three minutes, though, with Euan East advancing and swapping passes with Byrne before smashing a finish into the corner.
Elgin manager Gavin Price blamed poor game management for the loss of two important points, although his team gained one on fourth-placed Annan, now five ahead.
Price said: “We were poor in the first half but the second half was good.
“We just needed to be patient and break them down, but in the same way as we did against Stirling Albion in our last home game, we go for it and get caught out with all four of the midfielders going forward.
“It’s frustrating because we had chances to win it.”