Elgin City suffered a pre-Halloween nightmare in their 6-0 Scottish Cup exit at the hands of East of Scotland Premier Division side Jeanfield Swifts.
It was a gruesome afternoon in Perthshire for Barry Smith’s team, who found themselves 4-0 down after just half-an-hour to a side who play their league football two levels below Elgin on the Scottish football pyramid.
City did go into the game at a low ebb – rock-bottom of the SPFL with just one victory, and six points overall, from nine League Two matches this term.
But, after putting in a positive performance in midweek to draw 1-1 at Borough Briggs against Stenhousemuir – a game recently-appointed boss Smith was frustrated they did not win – hopes were high they could avoid a shock at Jeanfield.
However, in making history by becoming the first-ever SPFL team to play a competitive fixture at Swifts’ Riverside ground, Elgin also carved out a slice of grim ignominy for themselves.
One Scottish football history buff, Andy Mitchell, reckons Saturday’s game was the biggest Scottish Cup win by a non-league club against a Scottish League club for 127 years.
I think – correct me if I'm wrong – today's 6-0 win for Jeanfield Swifts is the biggest Scottish Cup victory by a non-league team over a Scottish League team since … 1896. https://t.co/cG3itLuI0c
— Andy Mitchell (@AndyMitchMedia) October 28, 2023
Elgin were 2-0 down by the 10-minute mark via goals from Dayle Robertson and Chris McLeish – an ex-Elgin player.
McLeish and Robertson both scored again before half-time.
And the horror-show had a sequel in the second half, when Chris Scott bagged a brace of his own – the third Jeanfield player on the day to do so – to complete the scoring.
Elgin fans were left apoplectic at the manner of their team’s cup exit.
Social media user Michael Whitson wrote: “Absolutely shocking and embarrassing result.
“This is the worst Elgin team I’ve seen. Bottom of the league and out of the cup inside half-an-hour.
“The fans deserve an apology for this.
“Big changes needed at the club and soon.”
Iain Thorburn added: “Ah well we only lost the second half 2-0. Disgraceful.
“Plenty serious thinking to be done by the board.”
Zoe Hunter thinks the result was a portent of a relegation fight to come at the end of the season, with Elgin currently threatened by demotion to the Breedon Highland League, and said: “We are nosediving into the Highland League, and I fear that when (not if!) we go down, we don’t be coming back up.”
Iain Paton thinks Black and Whites supporters are due an explanation for the performance and result at Jeanfield, saying: “The club needs to apologise to those diehards that made the journey to Perth.
“(The) manager needs to give a very clear explanation on today’s performance.
“Away to Stranraer next week, (we) need to show a massive improvement.
“All the fans are looking for some answers.”
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