Match Report - By John Hoey

Brechin City will go into the hat for 4th round Scottish Cup draw following an excellent 4-1 extra-time victory over Cowdenbeath at Central Park.

The highlight of the win was a hat-trick from defender Brad McKay with City’s other goal coming from Spencer Moreland.

City fans will now be eagerly anticipating tomorrow evening’s fourth round draw with Manager Patrick Cregg hoping for a home tie.

City started the game with Lenny Wilson in goal and a back four of Lewis Martin, Euan Spark, Brad McKay and Kevin McHattie. Marc Scott, Fraser MacLeod, Spencer Moreland and Seth Patrick were in midfield with Ewan Loudon and Dayle Robertson up front.

City started well and a Scott lob from the edge of the box after just five minutes was tipped over the bar by home keeper Ruaridh Lynch. Scott was deep in the action again a couple of minutes later when he passed to Dayle Robertson in the box who swiftly cut the ball back for Fraser MacLeod whose curling effort clipped the far post before being cleared by the home defence.

City were passing the ball well and looked a threat going forward and they scored the opener in the 31st minute when BRAD MCKAY was on the spot to blast the ball into the roof of the net following a goalmouth scramble. City continued to dominate for the remainder of the half but were unable to add to their tally.

The Blue Brazil who had hardly looked a threat during the opening 45 minutes levelled the match four minutes into the second-half when winger JAKE SUTHERLAND raced clear of the visitors defence and kept his composure before slotting a low right-foot drive beyond the reach of Wilson.

The game for the rest of the half was much more evenly matched with City losing much of the fluency and rhythm they had shown in the opening 45 minutes.

They did come close to grabbing the lead for the second time with four minutes remaining when substitute Craig Tosh played a good pass forward to Ewan Loudon who steered a right-foot drive over the bar.

City then missed a glorious chance to clinch victory just a couple of minutes later Tosh played another good pass into the box for Lewis Milne who seemed certain to score but with the goal at his mercy, the midfielder scuffed his shot just wide of the target.

With the sides level at the end of the ninety minutes, the match went into extra-time and City drew first blood after 104 minutes when BRAD MCKAY rose above the home defence to power home a header from a Spencer Moreland corner.

It was 3-1 for City seven minutes into the second period of extra-time when SPENCER MORELAND curled a wonderful 20 yard drive into the net giving Lynch in the Cowdenbeath goal absolutely no chance.

City were now in total control and the icing on the cake of a dominant extra-time performance came right at the death when BRAD MCKAY headed home goal number four to book a place in the next round of the cup for his side.