Clyde 2 - 2 Elgin City: Clyde overturn two-goal deficit to deny Elgin top spot

By Craig P Stewart
Published on 18/10/2012 00:29

Elgin blew the chance to top the Third Division after they let Clyde hit back from two goals down to grab a 2-2 draw at Broadwood.

Scorers: Clyde - McColm (42), Sweeney (55 pen); Elgin City - Duff (8), Niven (35)

Referee: A Dallas. Attendance: 458.

Goals from Jamie Duff and David Niven had the Moray men in charge; however, Stuart McColm’s strike in the first half and John Sweeney’s penalty in the second means Elgin remain in second spot.

The visitors took the lead in the eighth minute when Daniel Moore fired a corner deep into the left hand side of the home box, where it was nodded by Niven into the path of Duff, who thumped home from 16 yards.

Craig Gunn came close to grabbing a further goal for Elgin with a clever turn and cute flick that saw the ball just drift past John Barclay’s left hand post before the second arrived ten minutes from half time.

Graeme Beveridge was the architect, picking out the unmarked Niven with a cross from the right, and the visiting skipper headed home.

Clyde pulled a goal back on 42 minutes when Sean Fitzharris crossed from the right and McColm side-footed home.

The equaliser came on 54 minutes when Sweeney swept home with confidence from the penalty spot after Fitzharris was tripped by Mark Nicolson in the box.

Gunn almost fired Elgin back in front with a fierce 20-yard drive, but the ball crashed against the bar with Clyde denied the lead on the hour mark when a close range Bryan Gilfillan strike was called offside.

Elgin came alive again in the last ten minutes as they looked for the goal that would see them sit at the summit, and Nicolson headed a corner goalwards, only to be denied as Lee Sharp cleared his off the line.

Elgin keeper John Gibson saved his side as he pushed away an injury-time Kevin Watt effort to ensure Elgin secured a point.

Clyde: Barclay, Brown, Sharp, Gray, Oliver, Hay, Fitzharris, Sweeney, Gilfillan, McCluskey (Watt 82), McColm (Scullion 58). Subs not used: McBeth, MacDonald, Rajovic.

Elgin City: Gibson, MacLean (O’Donoghue 75), Beveridge, Crighton, Duff, Niven, Gunn (Miller 81), Cameron, Leslie, Nicolson, Moore. Subs not used: McLeod, Forbes, Black.