Match Report - By Steven Mew

BRECHIN CITY’S players delivered the maximum derby points against Forfar demanded by boss Michael O’Neill—but made hard work of it.

They had to fight for their spoils by a home side which hauled themselves back into contention thanks to Frenchman Gregory Tade.

“We knew it was going to be a difficult game and it was, with some difficult conditions out there,” said the City gaffer.

“We’ve got these three points behind us and it’s important we now build on this.”

City fans had to wait until the opening minute of the restart for the breakthrough to come, arriving through Iain Russell’s header home from his unmarked position in the middle of the box.

It sparked a desperate fightback by the Loons, which paid off on the 65th minute when new signing Tade, a 20-year-old midfielder, tucked the ball in from a tight angle.

Eleven minutes from the end the visitors sealed the victory when Scott Walker lobbed keeper Sean Murdoch.

O’Neill added, “We did reasonably well in the first half and scored a good goal very early in the second. It was another good one for us from Iain Russell.

“I felt we were comfortable, but you could see on a day like that anything can happen and they got a goal to bring themselves level.

“It meant we had to go out and win it again and all credit to the players for getting their heads right to get the second goal.

“Scott Walker hit it on the turn, which is something he’s not known for.”

He explained Steven Ferguson’s second-half substitution was down to concerns over a hamstring problem.

Former Forfar player Kevin Byers continued to shine against his old club after making a return from injury.

“That’s another game for him and he is starting to look like the Kevin Byers we know,” added the gaffer.

While the Reds were celebrating, the Sky Blues were facing up to another defeat, their last league win—their first and only one—now a distant memory having arrived on the opening day of the season.

Loons boss George Shaw refused to offer up a hard-luck story, but acknowledged a turn of luck is what the club desperately needs.

“The players are all battling, they are all working hard and putting the effort into it, but are getting nothing back,” he said.

“It’s individual errors that are costing us. It was a derby game and you don’t want to get beaten when you are at the bottom.

“We saw the spirit when the players were down 1-0, but it’s the same old thing. Stupid errors are causing us to lose stupid goals.”

Shaw pinpointed the quality of balls into the box for the strikers as lacking and stressed again the need for the side to create more chances up front.

However, it is at the back he is faced with a more immediate problem—the sending-off of Alan Rattray on Saturday for his second bookable offence.

“Alan came back in after a lengthy injury and that’s him back out again,” added Shaw.

Report courtesy of The Courier.

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Raith rovers pick up a vital win against their Fife rivals.

Morton 4 Peterhead 2

Morton come from 2-0 down to hammer Peterhead at Cappielow.

Stirling Albion 5 Alloa Athletic 0

Stirling continue their good form with a 5-0 win over local rivals Alloa.

Stranraer 1 Ayr United 3

Ayr United pick up a good win at Stair Park.