BOROUGH BRIGGS STADIUM
On one side of the ground is a small, covered Main Stand. This all seater stand runs for only about half the length of the pitch and straddles the half way line. There is terracing to one side of this stand. On the other side of the ground is a small covered terrace, which is divided between home and away supporters. This enclosure looks quite old and has a number of supporting pillars. Both ends have newish open terraces that are set back from the pitch. These were opened in the year 2000. An unusual aspect of the ground is the odd looking floodlights running down each side of the pitch, the bases of which, on the enclosure side go down through the roof and onto the terrace, further hindering the spectators view of the playing action. Borough Briggs is the most northerly professional club ground in the UK.
GROUND LAYOUT
A MAIN STAND
B COVERED TERRACE
C WEST TERRACE
D EAST TERRACE
Elgin City should have played Cowdenbeath last Saturday at Borough Briggs but the referee postponed the game a hour before kick off due to an over dry pitch which was deemed to be hazardous in areas, the area hasn't seen any rain in the last nine weeks leading up to the game and leaves this fixture against Stirling in the balance. Cowdenbeath fans and officials were furious after making a 340 mile round trip to the highlands for nothing a sentiment which I can thoroughly sympathise with having made a 950 mile round trip paid for in advance including flights and digs, I could really do with this game going ahead. Inverness isn't a good place for me to visit having had to cancel a trip, also paid for in advance, to see ICT at the Caledonian Stadium last season but their progress in the Scottish Challenge cup meant that their league fixture against Falkirk had to be postponed.
The Black & Whites have made a great start to the season winning 2 out of three of their fixtures and drawing the other leaving them in fourth place with a game in hand on the leaders, they could also do with this game taking place so as to keep up their momentum and mount a serious challenge for the league title or failing that a play off place at least.
Stirling Albion in contrast to their opponents are lying one place above bottom although it is early doors yet. Albion are looking for their first win or point of the season losing the first four games in succession which puts them above Albion Rovers on goal difference, Stirling have minus 8 while Rovers are on minus 11 and are still yet to score but saying that Stirling have only notched one so far this season.
In the last ten matches between these two at Borough Briggs Elgin have a slight advantage winning five, losing four with one draw. The last game against Stirling here was a convincing win for the Black & Whites, 3-0 with all the goals coming in the first half goals from Nathan Flanagan (7), Brian Cameron (18) and Shane Sutherland (24).
My Digs In Elgin
Staying in a lovely guest house in Elgin the Old Mills Garden which is very close to the Borough
Briggs ground and the town centre and run by a lovely lady from back home who moved up here twelve years ago to escape the drudge of Birmingham to live the peaceful, tranquil life that Elgin has to offer.
I have a wonderful ground floor room that overlooks the beautiful garden and have all fasilities you could imagine even a kitchen next door and of course it's on suite with free wifi and life's a dream at this present moment.
Cost is quite reasonable just £110 for a 2 night stay with a scrumptious full English breakfast provided each morning with a choice of what or how much you want on your plate, I, of course have the works with 2 slices of toast, the pig that I am.
It is a bit out of the way is Elgin and has cost me a fair bit in taxi's but I have learned since I got here that there is a bus, number 11 that runs from the airport to the town centre that would have saved me a fare penny, the things you learn about too late hey, just goes to show you that you can't do too much research into things.
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view from my window of garden
ELGIN CITY ... 0 STIRLING ALBION ... 3
The two week rest didn't do Elgin much good as they looked unmatch fit against a Stirling side determined to get out
of their current situation. The first goal coming after just 15 minutes when Cameron Thomas's left foot shot found the net from the left hand side of the six yard box after Danny Jardine's effort was blocked,
Nine minutes down the line and it was 2-0 to Albion, Peter MacDonald's right footed shot adding to Elgin's woes from close
Things nearly got worse for City in the 29th minute as Dominic Docherty was judged to have been fouled in the penalty
In the 34th minute though the referee got the Elgin City fans screaming "Where's your red shirt referee" after awarding
3-0 at half time and Albion took their foot off the gas in the second half knowing that they'd met an Elgin team that wouldn't have scored if they carried on playing till next Saturday and were quite happy with a victory their first points of the season which has helped with their league position and hopefully jumped started their campaign.
It's a lovely little ground Borough Briggs one of the best I've seen in the Scottish fourth tier with very modern portocabin type toilets on the East side of the Main stand but I'm not impressed with the seats in the main stand which are too close together giving no leg room at all.
MATCH DETAILS
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