Elgin City unlucky in defeat at Stirling Albion but fifth straight loss cranks up pressure on crucial League Two basement clash at Albion Rovers
Goal-starved Elgin City pushed leaders Stirling Albion all the way but slipped to a fifth consecutive League 2 defeat on Tuesday night.
Dale Carrick's strike right on half time handed league leaders Stirling back-to-back victories over Elgin and gave the Forthbank side an eight-point lead at the top.
City remain just three points above bottom side Albion, who they meet in Coatbridge on Saturday.
Elgin manager Gavin Price called for a battling effort in each of his team's remaining matches, and he got one at Stirling to no avail.
Some fine saves by home keeper Blair Currie denied City top scorer Kane Hester from adding to his 28-goal tally for the season.
Hester fired wide early on and on 16 minutes he broke through the centre only to send his effort on to the top of the net.
On-loan Dundee winger Ton Findlay then had a close range effort blocked in the goalmouth while at the other end Daniel Hoban saved from Cammy Clark.
Currie made a good stop from Hester five minutes before half time, then Stirling struck through a close range Carrick shot just before the whistle.
Hester thought he had levelled on the hour with a low, netbound effort which Currie got down to stop.
Hoban thwarted Aaron Dunsmore at the other end while both Hester and Darryl McHardy had strikes blocked as Elgin pressed hard for an equaliser.
With seven minutes left, Hester's pace took him clear on goal again but his shot towards the bottom left hand corner was once again palmed to safety by the defiant Currie.
For all City's endeavours, they have now failed to score a goal in over five-and-a-half hours of football and netted just five times in their last 11 matches.
It's one win and two draws for the Black and Whites in their previous 12 League 2 encounters.
An Elgin victory over Albion on Saturday would open up a crucial six-point gap between them and the basement boys.
Defeat would put City rock bottom with five matches to play and facing a possible play-off to remain in the SPFL.