East Fife returned to the top of the League Two and became the first visiting team to win at Borough Briggs this season.
Yet again Nathan Austin was the goal hero with a clinical first-half double against previous leaders Elgin.
And Kevin Smith marked his recent return from injury with the clinching strike, much to the delight of assistant boss Dougie Anderson.
“It’s great for Kevin,” he said. “It’s been very, very frustrating for him, he’s been out for a long time and we’ve missed him.
“He’s a quality player, one of the best players in the league in my opinion, and it’s great to get him back.”
Elgin went into Saturday’s match as league leaders, defending a proud unbeaten home league record with 10 wins and two draws in their 12 fixtures.
But that stat was almost immediately put to the test by a determined East Fife side who attacked from the off and were in front after six minutes.
Midfielder Pat Slattery picked a pass from the centre of the field to release Austin between Elgin’s two central defenders and through on goal before placing a shot wide of St Johnstone loan keeper Mark Hurst into the net.
The Fifers continued to press but were stung on 22 minutes when City’s first real attack resulted in an equaliser.
Another Saints loan player Connor McLaren crossed from the right and Craig Gunn’s glancing header struck the far posr before falling kindly for Dylan Easton to prod home.
Fife then pounced almost immediately with a near carbon copy goal within two minutes.
Player-boss Gary Naysmith’s ball from the back took a ricochet and spun through for Austin to outpace the Elgin defence, round keeper Hurst and restore their lead.
Fife had a close escape early in the second half when a Gunn strike from a Daniel Moore corner flicked off Naysmith and rebounded off the bar into keeper Liam Kelly’s arms.
Lee Wilkie and Austin then missed good openings for East Fife while Smith and Jonathan Page were both denied by good Hurst saves.
Persistence paid off five minutes later when Hurst fumbled a Scott Mercer drive and Smith gleefully slammed home the rebound.