Elgin still had duo Jamie McKenzie and Martin Harty suspended, so David Robertson put out an unchanged side from Tuesday night’s cup exit to Berwick Rangers.
The game started slowly, with both sides unable to really trouble either keeper. Queen’s Park had the first chance of note when Weatherson fired harmlessly wide.
Elgin’s first shot on target came after 20 minutes when Adam Nelson fired a 30-yard shot, tipped over by Queen’s ‘keeper.
Willie Martin, against his former club was causing them trouble down the right and was unlucky to not give City the lead after cutting inside, beating three Queen’s players to only have his shot saved by McGovern.
Elgin were starting to create some chances and Alex Bone and Phil Reid both had chances before the breakthrough came on the half hour mark.
Elgin won a soft free kick out on the right in front of the Queen’s dugout. The free kick was sent over to the back post where summer signing Roddie found himself some room and headed into the bottom corner.
Two minutes later, Roddie nearly increased his tally when his free kick just spun past the post. Moments before half time Roddie again hit a free kick from a familiar position, but this time hit it over the bar.
The second half started as the first and was slow, but ten minutes into it, an incident involving Queen’s Park coach had everyone talking about anything but the football on display.
Dave Clarke was replaced and voiced his disapproval of this to his manager. Brannigan appeared to grab the player by the throat and pin him against the side of the dugout. The Queen’s Park fans were all directly behind the dugout and one particular fan voiced his opinion of the managers actions, to which Brannigan replied with by striking the fan. Shocking scenes for a football match at any level, I fully expect Brannigan to not be in the job Monday morning.
There was no action on the pitch to talk about for the next ten minutes until Reid found himself a brilliant chance to open his Elgin account. After disowning a Queens’s player of the ball, Reid found himself one on one with McGovern but seemed to hesitate and disappointed by hitting it straight at the ‘keeper.
Reid was becoming a problem for Queen’s and five minutes later, after a run down the right, showed great awareness to find Nelson to his left, whose shot went wide.
It took until the 75th minute for Kieron Renton to be required to make his first save. Paul Harvey’s dummy bought himself some space in the box, but his shot was comfortably dealt with by Renton.
Queen’s piled on the pressure at the end and felt unlucky to be denied a goal. Bonnar had the ball in net after finishing from a cross in a packed penalty area. The goal was chalked off after the ref whistled for a foul against forward Ally Graham.
After well over 5 minutes of injury time, Elgin held on for the win and kept the great start of the season going. Two wins and two clean sheets is perfect form ahead of next week’s “Highland” derby at Balmoor.
Elgin: Kieron Renton, Stuart Cumming, Allan Dempsie, Paul Kaczan, Hugh Dickson, Stephen Black, Willie Martin, Adam Nelson, Alex Bone, Phil Reid (Fraser Bremner, 88), Andy Roddie.
Subs Not Used: Iain Vigurs, Garry Wood, Jason McDonald, Martin Pirie.
Goals: Roddie, 29