Can the loons win again for the fourth time in five games.

If we do will we be of the bottom?

Just when we start to look better we then go and play like that. Gifted Elgin opportunities and they eventually took one.

Sandy Wood had a weird game, conceded, and saved, two penalties, had a crazy moment spilled a shot yet claimed the ball well in many dangerous situations.

Ref had a shocker. How Sandy's first challenge was a penalty and how their goalie's wasn't was incredible. Also could have had one for handball in the box. Just in general he got so many decisions wrong. Had to laugh when Lunan's shot hit the bar and he gave a corner.

At the end of the day though we got what we deserved. We concede silly goals and can't score at the other end. If there's not something done soon we will come bottom.

At least Duell is suspended now; hopefully for a few games.

Elgin deserved the win, Forfar were poor and disjointed and never looked dangerous.

That was quite possibly the worst refereeing performance I have ever seen against Forfar today. The first penalty was a total joke, if you give penalties for that then there would be five in every match. The sending off of Duell was seen by no-one in the ground and some of the bookings we got that Elgin never were baffling. Even the Elgin goal had offside all over it and it would certainly be interesting to see it again.

Very poor, we badly need a striker of some sort.

another terrific result for us today. keeps us in touch with the play-offs. didnt make todays game. did elgin miss 2 penaltys ?! anyone kno who missed them ?

Think number 10 hit the first, may be wrong. Not sure about the 2nd.

Both were decent stops by Sandy, not great penalties but not terrible

Elgin keeper got his fingertips to lunan's shot thats why it was a corner.

If he hadnt it was a goal.

Was a mile ONside - well timed run.

Courier report

"REFEREEING DECISIONS overshadowed Forfar’s opening game of the year as they tasted defeat at the hands of Elgin City.

The Loons had a player sent off, suffered six bookings and had two penalties awarded against them.

Whistler Thomas Robertson and his stand-side linesman left the pitch to a chorus of boos from home fans incensed at their handling of the game.

Supporters’ fury erupted in the 52nd minute when forward Bryan Duell was shown a straight red card for dissent, apparently for comments he made as he watched Stephen Tulloch struggle to take a throw-in.

The defender had to launch the ball over the head of the stand-side assistant who stood in his path as he attempted to put the ball back into play.

“It was a bizarre sending-off,” said home boss Jim Moffat.

“I have never before encountered anyone having such difficulty taking a throw-in.

“For some reason he (the linesman) wanted to stand on the line and obstruct the player.”

Although Moffat did not elaborate on what Duell said over the matter that earned him his early bath, the manager stressed, “Bryan Duell did not swear. It was not foul or abusive language.

“Our job was not made easier when we went down to 10 men.”

Forfar’s bad day then got worse when Mark Smith sprung the offside trap on 65 minutes to run 20 yards into the box, side-stepping keeper Sandy Wood’s vain dive before slotting home past two Sky Blues players who sprinted back to the line.

“With 10 men you can go and do a lot of damage if the players galvanise and pull together,” said Moffat.

“Sometimes it gels everything.

“But to lose the goal so quickly after that was disappointing.

“Having said that, Paul Lunan then had an outstanding shot which the keeper saved.”

Elgin’s first penalty chance to break the deadlock came on the 23rd minute when Wood was adjudged to have impeded Darren Shallicker in the box by clambering over him.

The keeper held his nerve and dived to his left to stop Shallicker’s spot kick.

Bang on time the visitors won a second penalty when Tulloch and his keeper collided and somehow the Elgin trialist went down inside the box.

Wood correctly dived to his right to block the shot and prevent Elgin doubling their advantage."

Being on the other side of the pitch for the incident I wondered what Tulloch was booked for and Duell sent off for, to find out it was because a linsman wouldn't move so a throw in could be taken is beyond a joke. We can only hope never to see this idiot Robertson ever again.

The standside linesman and the ref have to be the absoloute worst officials I have ever seen. The way the linesman acted with Stephen Tulloch was absoloutely disgracefull.

Think it says it all when you see Willie Martin running over to remonstrate with the officials for booking a FORFAR player!!!