Match Report - By Match Secy

BRECHIN City continued their recent good form with a fine win at Stair Park on Saturday that took them to the top of the second division – albeit after just two Irn Bru SFL fixtures.

City, not surprisingly, named the same side that hammered East Fife in midweek and Stranraer too were back on more familiar lines with French striker Gregory Tade and former QOS man, Michael Mullen, leading their attack.

Brechin started far more the positive of the two sides and Ian Diack was unfortunate not to open the scoring after six minutes. He get a toe to a ball in from the left flank and steered it goal wards, only for home goalkeeper, Scott Black to dive full length and turn the City striker's effort for a corner.

Much of Brechin's good earl;y approach work came down the left flank where left-back Dyer and Skipper Smith combined well and caused the home defence a number of problems. Diack was prominent again when only a last gasp saving tackle from Dobbins blocked his net bound effort.

City got the goal their approach play warranted at this stage in the 21st minute. Darren Smith was once again the creator, picking up possession on the left hand side of the field before releasing Diack who was 20 yards from goal. The big City striker drew the goalkeeper and curled a beautiful effort into the far corner of the net, well out of the goalkeeper's reach.

Brechin continued to press and Nimmo was highly influential early on. A lovely three-man move involving Dyer, Janczyk and finally Nimmo, saw the former Ipswich man shoot just over the bar from inside the penalty area.

Stranraer eventually got into the game and went close from a corner kick when Alex White's header came back off the crossbar. The Blues went on to have their best quarter of the game at this stage. McBride volleying over a Tade knock down and in the 37th minute, slackness in the City defence allowed Craig Frizzell space inside the penalty area to fire home an equaliser off the inside of the post.

Janczyk once again showed great imagination coming forward to link up with those in the last third of the field and he played a clever one-two with Smith, but his parting shot on the edge of their box failed to trouble the goalkeeper.

City should have had their noses back in front on the stroke of half-time. Clever play from Gary Twigg on the left hand side of the penalty area saw him throw in an excellent cross to the far post where Kevin Byers had made an excellent run, but the City midfield man couldn't keep his drive down and the ball spun agonisingly up, rather than into the back of the Stranraer net.

The second period saw Brechin re-establish themselves as the more likely side. Ward and White shut the “back door “ and little was seen of the home side in an attacking sense during the second half.

On the hour mark, great determination from Ian Nimmo won City a corner. But Byers' flag kick was held under the bar by Black under pressure from Twigg.

Diack was denied again when a well-timed pass by Darren Smith set him up 16 yards out and his low drive was heading for the bottom corner, but Black again dived full-length to push the ball for a corner.

At this stage of the game, City were well on top. They had cut off the supply to the two isolated Stranraer front men and they almost took the lead with a clever free-kick from out on the right touchline from Neil Janczyk. The former 'Jambo' looked like he would shape up for a cross to his two central defenders at the far post, however, he curled an effort beyond the reach of the goalkeeper from 35 yards, which struck the crossbar and bounced over.

In the 65th minute. Martin McBride of Stranraer was cautioned for talking out of turn to the referee. Two minutes later, Charlie King replaced Kevin Byers for Brechin.

Willie Dyer was next to burst forward and he continued to impress with a solid defensive display. On this occasion the City left-back shot at goal from 25 yards, when he may have been better rewarded with a run into the box.

Dobbins fouled Twigg 25 yards out and from the resultant free-kick, Darren Smith stepped up and curled the ball narrowly over the bar. Smith was involved again when he got down to the left touchline and pulled the ball back only for Alex White to throw himself at the ball to prevent a certain City second.

City continued to dominate the second half and Danny Mitchell was forced to make a saving block as Charlie King was handed a chance at the near post.

Brechin were finally rewarded for their hard work and second half dominance with another quality strike from Ian Diack with seven minutes left. Charlie King threaded the ball through from the right flank after Diack himself had started the move. The City striker was then forced into a quick decision as Black came off his line and Diack made another expert job of calmly lobbing the ball over his head and into the net.

Brechin really should have made it 3-1 with a couple of minutes left, Darren Smith broke away down the right hand side of the field and outpaced Stranraer's remaining defender, he had Gary Twigg to his left, but chose to try and round the goalkeeper and Black did well to save a certain goal with a dive at his feet.

Stranraer had one final effort, which Craig Nelson stooped to hold comfortably. But in the end, especially in the second half, the 2-1 scoreline doesn't flatter City.

Willie Dyer and Ian Diack were the pick of the men in red.