By Chris Toner
Albion Rovers snapped their three-game cinch League Two losing streak with a well-deserved 2-0 victory over Elgin City at the Reigart Stadium.
Callum Wilson opened the scoring late in the second half, before new signing Jordan Morton came off the bench to clinch the three points for Brian Reid’s side. The result sees Rovers move up a place to 7th in the table.
The opening period of the game was rather scrappy with neither side creating any clear-cut chances. Elgin did have a goal ruled out for offside and an on target attempt from Conor O’Keefe blocked, whilst Rovers’ Kyle Doherty got through on goal only for keeper Thomas McHale to gather the ball.
Rovers did come alive later in the first half. Michael Mullen had a shot tipped over after David Wilson capitalised on Elgin captain Euan Spark’s mistake, who later gave away a free kick from which Corey O’Donnell volleyed over.
O’Donnell was later through on the break and tried to chip McHale, who managed to get a fingertip to it and he later somehow managed to get his feet to a low shot in the box from Mullen. Rovers were unlucky not to go into the half with the lead as Wilson’s rebound after Doherty’s initial shot was deflected out.
Into the second half, Elgin had an effort from Brian Cameron go over and a shot from Archie MacPhee blocked by David Wilson, while Rovers’ Jamie Leslie got a flick of the head onto Adam Fernie’s cross but the ball went wide. Just after the hour mark, Callum Wilson had a missed effort from a cross by Mullen, who subsequently made way for Morton.
Doherty capitalised on a mistake by Elgin’s Darryl McHardy, playing the ball off to captain Aron Lynas, who was denied by McHale, who denied Doherty minutes later in a one-on-one situation.
But Rovers finally got the breakthrough they deserved after 75 minutes. Morton played the ball to Doherty, whose shot was parried by McHale into the path of Callum Wilson, with the keeper’s strong hand not enough from preventing the ball from finding the net.
Rovers doubled their lead five minutes later when David Wilson found Morton on the edge of the box, who fired the ball into the top right hand corner, almost bursting the net in the process. The debutant, who only signed for Rovers on Friday night, was unlucky not to double his tally with another shot from range, which was gathered by McHale.
