Aberdeen loan teenager Aaron Reid’s home Elgin City debut ended in disappointment but the striker is relishing his chance in League Two football.
The 18-year-old made a dream Elgin debut last Monday, scoring a last minute winner at Forfar and was rewarded with his first start for the Moray club in Saturday’s defeat to East Fife.
Former Turriff United hitman Reid missed one headed chance in the second half but wants to make an impression to take back to Pittodrie.
“I started with Aberdeen at the age of nine and I was released when I was 16, so I’ve managed to get myself back at the club,” he said.
“I was pleased to get the chance at Elgin and I made a good start. Today we were unfortunate not to take our chances and I had a header that I put wide.
“It was a great buzz to get the winner in my first game and I tried to bring that into the game today but I couldn’t manage to do it again.
“It’s been a good start here and I’m enjoying getting to know the boys a bit better. I hope I can score a few more goals here.”
FT – Elgin fall to a 2-1 defeat to East Fife.
Hester managed to pull one back but The Fifers now moved to within two points of the Black and Whites in fourth. pic.twitter.com/IbLSeyHnn2
— Elgin City F.C. (@ElginCityFC) January 7, 2023
City’s home form has been their big let down this season and first half goals by East Fife skipper Stewart Murdoch and Alan Trouten’s penalty gave the north men a mountain to climb.
They could only muster a late Kane Hester strike, not enough in the eyes of manager Gavin Price.
“I didn’t expect that today. It was very frustrating,” he said.
“I was quite optimistic and I still am because the players we’ve brought in, once they bed in properly gives us different outlets for playing.
“Unfortunately we are not getting the whole package right and the goals we conceded in the first half weren’t good enough.
“We seem to have a more resilient mentality away from home, and you need to have that every game.”
Reid was joined in making his Elgin starting debut by fellow new boy Mitchell Taylor, captured from Camelon Juniors last week.
Elgin made a strong start but needed keeper Tom McHale to pull off a good save from Taylor Steven’s powerful strike from outside the box on ten minutes.
City top scorer Kane Hester had a goal disallowed for offside before the visitors took the lead in spectacular fashion after 18 minutes.
There seemed no danger when captain Murdoch picked up the ball 30 yards from goal but his perfectly flighted strike nestled into the top left hand corner of McHale’s goal.
It could have been worse for the home team as four minutes later East Fife’s Jack Healy found space on the left side of the box and his shot bounced back off the near post.
At the other end Hester broke in behind the Fifers defence but his lob over keeper Allan Fleming dropped just wide.
TEAM LINE-UP
Here's our starting XI to face East Fife this afternoon at Borough Briggs.
Come on the City! ⚫️⚪️ pic.twitter.com/N0AjC80fvy
— Elgin City F.C. (@ElginCityFC) January 7, 2023
It was 2-0 on the half hour mark when Elgin’s Brian Cameron brought down Trouten just inside the box, and Trouten picked himself up to score from the spot.
McHale twice denied Scott Shepherd in the closing minutes of the half, with Gavin Price’s men getting increasingly ragged as the game wore on.
Aberdeen kid Reid wasn’t far away with a header from Tom Findlay’s right wing cross.
East Fife struck the woodwork for a second time when Taylor Steven crashed one off the near post from just inside the box on 51 minutes.
The home side were struggling to create scoring chances and were let off the hook on 77 minutes when Steven went through one-on-one but dragged his shot wide of the target.
Out of the blue, the home side scored on 81 minutes through Hester’s left foot strike under keeper Allan Fleming – but it wasn’t enough to avoid defeat.
Conversation