Elgin 0 United 4

Four goals in the last quarter of the match enabled United to register their first win of the season at the League Two hosts.

Having dominated possession almost throughout, it was only in the second half they made it count with a Nicky Clark double, an Adam Barton penalty and a last gasp Declan Glass strike.

By Peter Rundo

For the final Betfred Cup group game, manager Csaba Laszlo made three changes.

In goal, Ben Siegrist replaced Matej Rakovan in goal; Sam Wardrop came in at right back for the injured Stewart Murdoch with Matty Smith deputising for another injury casualty James Keatings.

New signings Paul Watson and Yannick Loemba were on the bench.

Though there was nothing at stake, both sides would be keen to post their first win of the season and in the hosts’ case, find the back of the net for the first time. And, of course, it gave both managers a chance to fine tune their line-ups for the next week’s start to the league campaign.

First-half – There was a change in formation with Matty Smith partnering Nicky Clark up top of a 4-4-2 formation. The Tangerines made the early running creating a couple of corners that unfortunately came to nothing.

A good run by Jamie Robson brought a third coner after 13 minutes, but again it proved unproductive as did another shortly afterwards.

On 17 Minutes another Aird corner was headed over by Frederic Frans as United continued to make the running a sixth corner six minutes later produced an identical result.

Some 27 minutes had elapsed before the Tangerines got in behind the Elgin defence, Jamie Robson cutting along the left touchline, but Aird, at the near post failed to make contact with his hard low driven cross.

As the interval approached, there were signs of greater penetration and on 38 minutes skipper Sam Stanton volleyed narrowly past for what was the first serious attempt on goal.

Three minutes from the break, Clark, unmarked, should have done better than head over an Aird free-kick and as a result it finished goalless as the half-time whistle went.

Half time – Elgin City 0 United 0 

Second Half – No changes at half-time and all Arabs were hoping to see greater penetration than in the first half.

And they didn’t have long to wait with City’s on loan keeper from Dundee, Kyle Gourlay, blocking a netbound Smith shot within a minute of the restart.

At the other end, Ben Siegrist had his first shot on target but it was a weak effort which he collected with ease.

A good run by Stanton was followed by a clever ball into Smith, but his attempted shot on the turn was blocked. From the resultant corner William Edjenguele headed the ball down and just over the bar.

Shortly afterwards, Robson fired in a shot which brought claims for a penalty for handball but the referee was unimpressed.

Certainly, it was a more enterprising start to the second period and a Robson cross almost bore fruit but it was just out of Aird's reach.

On the hour mark, Yannick Loemba made his debut with Aird the player coming off.

And he was soon involved in the action playing a reverse pass to Robson whose cross was headed just past the far post by Stanton.

On 64 minutes, home skipper Matt Cooper appeared to bring down Smith but plaintive appeals for a penalty were firmly rejected by the ref.

A minute later, however,  the deadlock was finally broken.

Loemba played in Smith whose ball across the box was knocked over the line by Clark for his second goal for the club.

The newcomer demonstrated his pace with a left wing run which almost brought a second goal.

But his next contribution did. His deflected cross from the left found Clark in acres of space and able to pick his spot with a header.

Ten minutes from time, Nick Clark was upended in the box, not surprisingly given he was on hat-trick.

And with last kick of the game substitute Declan Glass smashed home a fourth from just inside the box for his first top team goal.

Man of the Match – Nicky Cark showed how important a player he will be scoring twice and being brought down for the penalty from which the third came.

Attendance - 1104 

Elgin City – Gourlay, Cooper (C), Lowdon (Taylor 83), McHardy, McGovern, Wilson, Banjo (Hay 69), Farquhar, Miller, McCleish, Sutherland.

Subs not used – Ross (GK), Thomson, Mallam.

United – Siegrist, Wardrop, Edjenguele, Frans (Watson 84) Robson, Aird (Leomba 61) Rabitsch, Barton, Stanton (C), Clark (Glass 81) Smith.

Subs not used - Rakovan (GK) McMullan, Scobbie, Allardice, Ritchie.

Referee – John McKendrick
Assistants – Alistair Mather Jordan Paterson.