Manager Gavin Price hopes Elgin City’s fine form on the road will continue as they aim to get off and running with a weekend win at Cowdenbeath in League Two.
Elgin won five of their 11 away fixtures last term and that, combined with strong home form only bettered by champions Queen’s Park, took them into third spot for the second year running.
The Moray men, who were held to a 1-1 home draw with Stranraer in their opening league match last Saturday, will be gunning for full points at Central Park.
Ticket info for this Saturdays clash at Central Park 👀⚽ https://t.co/X3vzauC12V
— Elgin City F.C. (@ElginCityFC) August 3, 2021
Price feels the side have been showing good enough form to keep them in the promotion hunt in recent years.
He said: “Our away form was decent last season, not too far away from our home results.
“Over the last couple of seasons our away form has definitely improved and that’s why we’ve managed to get inside the top four both years.
“Hopefully we’re a bit more hardened to being on the road now and we’ve a better way of playing away from home. We’re confident we can build upon that.”
Blue Brazil bolster options
City lost 1-0 at Cowdenbeath in April, but were 5-2 winners against them at Borough Briggs last November.
Price is under no illusions that Saturday’s hosts will present a fresh challenge, having bolstered their pool with experienced heads.
He said: “Cowdenbeath have strengthened from last season, bringing in Liam Buchanan, Craig Thomson and a couple of other players who are used to playing at this level, so they have definitely improved.
“That’s like all teams at the bottom end of the table. We’re expecting nothing less than a hard game on Saturday.”
Chances aplenty against Stranraer
The draw with Stranraer was a sore one, only because what was largely a close contest finished with Elgin on the front foot and with opportunities to finish the visitors off.
Defender Darryl McHardy put the Moray men in front, only for the Blues to square it in the second half through Grant Gallagher.
The hosts pressed for the clincher, but could not get over the line and had to settle for a point on an opening afternoon where Albion Rovers, Forfar Athletic, Kelty Hearts and Stirling Albion all won.
Looking back, Price felt a strong finish should have resulted in three early points on the board.
He said: “It wasn’t a great performance, but we did create five or six really good chances in the last 20 minutes. We defended really well in the game and both goalkeepers were excellent, which kept us in the game.
“We would have expected, overall, to have won the game from the chances we created in comparison to what Stranraer created. We were disappointed not to get three points, particularly after being 1-0 ahead.
“Stranraer though were in the game and every game in this league will be like that this season. There are no easy touches in this league and we’ll be prepared to come out on the right end of these results.
“You won’t know until eight or nine games in how the league is shaping up. It is hard to say right now because the squads have changed so much. We’ll look to just look after ourselves.”
Home double-header ahead
After their Central Park tussle this weekend, Elgin have successive Saturday home matches against Albion Rovers and Forfar Athletic.
Defender Matthew Cooper has a suspected fractured shin, so missed out this weekend, but Price hopes attacking midfielder Brian Cameron will be available.
