Match Report - By Steven Mew

City Manager Gavin Price got his tenure off to a winning start yesterday evening as City moved five points clear at the Highland League summit.

Much of the work was done by City in the first half having gone 3-1 up with just 20 minutes played and had it not been for some wasteful finishing and fine goalkeeping, the scoreline could have been far higher at the break.

City were unable to replicate that showing in the second half – perhaps put off their stride by a 10 minute period of floodlight failure - but did more than enough to earn the all important 3 points.

New boss Gavin Price insisted there wouldn’t be any wholesale changes to the side for this one and he was true to his word as City fielded the same starting 11 that defeated Turriff on Saturday.

The home side came flying out the traps and looked full of energy in the opening stages, with Ewan Loudon first to threaten a couple of minutes in when he fired a left footed strike at Craig Reid in the visitors goal.

Just two minutes later, City netted the opening goal. McGrath did well to flick the ball forward for FRASER MACLEOD who had a clear run on goal and the midfielder kept his composure to stroke into the far corner.

The advantage could easily have been doubled after 6 minutes when a corner from McGrath fell kindly for Lewis Martin inside the box but his snapshot cannoned back off the woodwork. McGrath himself was next to have a go with a strike that flew over from the edge of the box.

Despite City’s dominance during the opening exchanges, the visitors shocked the home support with an equaliser on 10 minutes. A poor clearance from Lenny Wilson went straight an opposing player who played the ball forward for MATTHEW TOUGH who slid the ball under the advancing keeper to level.

It took only 12 seconds for City to get their noses back in front. Ewan Murray swung in a cross for MARC SCOTT who held off the challenge of a defender to slide the ball low into the net from close range.

City were threatening to run riot as they grabbed a third on the 20 minute mark. The visitors’ insistence on playing a high defensive line backfired again as a long ball over the top from Scott found GRADY MCGRATH who beat the offside trap before lashing a sumptuous finish high into the net.

The remainder of the half was like a scene from the Alamo as City continued to dominate proceedings. Midway through the half McGrath got the better of his man on the right side of the box and played the ball inside for Loudon who fired over.

McGrath was central to much of City’s attacking play – he wriggled ahead of a defender to latch onto Macleod’s ball over the top but he couldn’t quite get enough on the ball to threaten the goalkeeper. Macleod set up McGrath again just a minute later, but City’s top scorer fired over.

Marc Scott was next to threaten on the half hour mark when a corner was only cleared as far as the edge of the box but his curled effort dipped just over the bar.

The one way traffic continued as MacLeod was denied by the feet of the keeper following a cutback from Scott, before McGrath slid a shot inches wide of the far post when you would have banked on him finding the net.

City kept pushing for another goal before the break with MacLeod firing wide from range and on the stroke of half time, Loudon met a right sided cross with a header which was pushed in the air by Craig Reid before being gathered at the second attempt.

The momentum continued into the start of the second half with Marc Scott firing a left footed shot straight at the keeper and shortly after, ‘Marco’ provided a cross which bobbled off Hamish Thomson for a goal kick.

Nine minutes into the second half, the Glebe was plunged into darkness as the floodlights went out. Fortunately after around ten minutes, the floodlights came back on and the game was able to be restarted.

Whilst the lights came on, City seemed to lose a bit of their spark. Two minutes after the restart Ewan Loudon was fouled 20 yards from goal and he dusted himself off to take the free kick himself, but his strike flew over.

Just after the hour mark, Kieran Yeats saw his free kick deflected wide for the Maroons and in the 63rd minute, they had the ball in the net but fortunately for City, referee Duncan Nicolson ruled the goal out for handball.

With Keith starting to show some intent going forward, City could have done with a 4th goal to kill the game off but chances continued to go abegging. Macleod and Scott both came close and with quarter of an hour remaining, Macleod saw his cut-back deflected onto the near post.

City kept searching for another goal to round off the victory as Ewan Murray sliced a shot wide on his weaker right foot and as the game approached 90 minutes, substitute Liam Duell was unlucky to see his header diverted wide.

Although City will feel they should have won by a more comfortable margin given the chances created, the most important thing was the 3 points. City are back at the Carnegie Fuels Stadium at Glebe Park again on Saturday as we take on Fraserburgh (3pm kick off).

Other Results - Breedon Highland League

Clachnacuddin 0 Nairn County 1

Forres Mechanics 0 Inverurie Locos 1

Rothes 2 Deveronvale 1

Strathspey Thistle 1 Huntly 4

Turriff United 0 Banks O' Dee 4