A substitution seven minutes into the second half completely transformed the game. Until the arrival of Kevin Haynes, Berwick had struggled against the hard-working Elgin, who had always looked threatening thanks to the excellent work of Martin Johnstone and Garry Wood.
City took the lead after14 minutes when Alan Muir blasted a superb free-kick over a 10-man defensive wall into the top corner.
Although Gareth Hutchinson and Kevin McLeish hit the woodwork with Kieron Renton beaten, Berwick struggled until the arrival of Haynes gave them a real head of steam. They had 14 shots on goal to City's solitary one in the second half.
A move begun by the stylish McLeish aftetr 75 minutes led to Haynes providing Kevin Gordon with a perfect short pass which he thumped home, and after 89 minutes the big striker signed from Dumbar celebrated his first goal in senior football.
Picking the ball up on the left he cut across field, beat three defenders and chipped cleverly over the advancing Renton.
It was third consecutive time that City had come to Shielfield, taken the lead and then faltered.