Relichtie
Memorable
matches
Feb 17 1968. Elgin C 2-0 Arbroath. Scottish Cup 2nd round.
The 2nd round of the Scottish Cup paired then Highland League side Elgin City at home to 2nd Division promotion contenders Arbroath. The lichties had reached this stage courtesy of a brace from prolific Striker Jimmy Jack at Somerset Park had seen off the challenge of Ayr Utd. The home side, had by comparison played three ties, Albion Rovers (h) 3-1, Tarff Rovers (a) 3-2, and Forfar Ath (h) 3-1, the Forfar side who had demolished Arbroath 4-0 at Gayfield on New Years day. The highland side were building a reputation as giant killers as they had defeated Ayr Utd in the previous seasons competition.
Such was the interest shown in the tie that a "special train" was laid on to transport fans from Arbroath to Elgin.
From the Arbroath Herald Feb. 10 1968.
" A special train is to be run for Arbroath's Scottish Cup Tie at Elgin on Saturday. It will leave Arbroath at 10.30am arriving 1pm. The return leaves at 6pm arriving Arbroath 8.30pm. Return fare will be 25/- (£1.25) as against the ordinary return of 68/6d ( £ 3.42 1/2p)".
A large contingent of fans took advantage of this offer and travelled north to cheer on the maroons.
A massive 12,608 crowd, a ground record,
squeezed in to Borough Briggs to see if the giant killers could do it again.
Arbroath started brightly, but their efforts failed to pay dividends. Elgin started to find weaknesses in the visitors side. This allied to a determination to win meant the home side treated the match like a cup final. The visitors, on the other hand, didn't seem to have the same urgency, treating it a just another match. Elgin centre half Grant put the shackles
on Jack,
and Bruce
also found little room, with usually two players marking him.
Half time came with no goals.
The second half continued in the same vein. Arbroath almost got the opener when Jack had an effort scrambled off the line. Elgin stormed forward in 74 mins with Graham down the left to the bye line, and from his cut back, Anderson headed in. Arbroath replaced Easton with Sellars, but Elgin continued to have the better of the exchanges. The match was settled in 84 mins, when Thomson emerged from a midfield tussle with the ball, shrugged off the challenge from Stirling, and slipped the ball in to the net.
Elgin City - Lawrie, Gerrard, Laing, Smith, D. Grant, Middleton, Dalziel, Graham, Anderson, Thomson, Gilbert.
Arbroath - Williamson, Cameron, Hughes, Cargill, Stirling, Pierson, Easton, Kennedy, Jack, Bruce, Finnie.
Referee A McKenzie, Larbert.
Attendance 12,608.