Elgin City defender Owen Cairns says hard work on the training ground is paying off with the club's rise
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A professional approach on the training ground, squad rotation and tactical adaptation have all contributed to Elgin City's surge in form.
So says defender Owen Cairns, who has slotted into the team in recent weeks and played his part in the Black and Whites' winning run.
City ground out a battling 1-0 midweek victory over Albion Rovers to register their fourth consecutive victory and move up into the play-off positions in League Two.
Grantown boy Cairns, who joined City in the summer, has served his fair share of bench time so far this season but came in on the hour of need when skipper Matthew Cooper picked up a knee injury earlier this month.
Solid performances at right back in Saturday's 3-2 success at Stranraer and Wednesday's follow-up win over Rovers mean Cairns can say he has played his part in Elgin's positive revival in fortunes.
"This is a really long season going forward and we are going to have knockbacks and boys picking up injuries, so we will need to rotate the entire squad through this season," he said.
"It’s really important that everybody is sharp and ready to play every single week. I’m glad I’ve got an opportunity in the team.
"I played on Saturday and we won and I made a good goal contribution. Then another win and a clean sheet (against Albion), so I can’t complain at all."
City have won five and drawn one of their last six matches in all competitions, with some contrasting performances along the way.
They swept aside Peterhead 4-0 in the SPFL Trust Trophy and thumped Annan 5-1 in the league, while the more recent successes over Stranraer and Albion have revealed the Black and Whites' steelier qualities.
"A couple of weeks ago we went out and passed the ball really well, whereas at the weekend and again against Albion, conditions weren’t particularly great for on-the-deck, pretty football," he said.
"So we’ve got that adaptability to win well and win ugly as well, and the boys are really buzzing.
"It's a great dressing room, and a great feeling when we know we’ve got the confidence to go into any game and no matter how we play or how the game goes, we can adapt the style of the team’s performance to suit the game and hopefully come out with the win, which we’ve done."
Borough Briggs on Wednesday was no place for the faint-hearted, and it was Elgin players who were willing to throw their bodies into the heat of battle that helped to squeeze a hard-fought three points out in favour of the home side.
Cairns did his defensive bit and recalled a crucial stoppage time block when Albion were pressing hard in pursuit of an equaliser.
"One of my best moments in the game came when the ball ended up at the back post and the boy struck it straight on to my shins. It doesn’t look great but it’s a satisfying moment at the end of the day.
"That’s exactly when defences are for. The likes of Drapes (Ross Draper), Jake (Dolzanski), Jevan (Anderson) when he comes on, Lewis (Nicolson) and Greig (Young) all doing their bit.
"But at the same time we defend from the front, you’ve got Angus (Mailer) and Russell (Dingwall) who are absolutely phenomenal in there, they do a brilliant job for us."
Cairns (23), who has been on the books of Ross County, Strathspey Thistle, Fraserburgh, Turriff United and Peterhead during his career, started his Elgin career filling in at left back, an unnatural position for him.
"My natural position is right back, the gaffer knows that and he knows I was filling in when I was playing on the other side.
"I'm pleased to be in the team just now. I’m certainly enjoying my football, this is an excellent club to be at and we try to play the game the right way."
There's no doubt that Elgin have found a way to win matches, after a sticky start.
After losing their home opener against East Fife, the Black and Whites got themselves into the unwelcome habit of taking the lead in matches but being unable to see it out to victory.
Following four draws, a first league win finally arrived against new boys Bonnyrigg in September.
Denied another victory by a controversial late equaliser at Stenhousemuir, City have won their next three in League Two and play host to bottom side Forfar Athletic this weekend.
Cairns revealed what has been happening off the pitch to trigger the club's transformation in form.
"We train really hard, the boys recover well, we try to do anything right and be the best we possibly can, and keep the standards high at every single training session.
"That is translating on to the pitch now and it’s just a case of how best can we manage the next month.
"Can we go to the end of the month on a positive note, winning as much as possible?
"Then you take it on to the next month. It’s difficult but we are working hard to do it.
"It’s just keeping that consistency."
