Match Report - By Match Secretary

BRECHIN City produced one of the finest displays Glebe Park has seen in many a year to thoroughly outplay their full-time opponents and gain pole position in division two into the bargain

Brechin carved out a great spell of fast, flowing, football at the start of the second period, which could have resulted in a cricket score, with a bit of luck.

Not surprisingly, Michael O'Neill stuck by the same 11 players who had performed well at Ayr the previous week and both sides went into the game with their unbeaten league records still in place.

City started the game very positively and were unfortunate not to be ahead after ten minutes. Neil Janczyk played the first of many superb passes of the afternoon in behind Mark Campbell and Gary Twigg held off the centre half, only to be denied by a save from Gary O'Connor, who turned the ball for a corner. O'Connor held Janczyk's corner under pressure from Paton.

Three minutes later and City were ahead. Once again, Janczyk was the architect with a corner to the far post, which saw Davie White rise unchallenged to head the ball down into the net and give City the perfect start.

On-loan Dundee Utd striker, Kevin Smith had a left wing cross knocked on by Walker to former City player Iain Davidson, but he fired over from 12 yards.

A tremendous clearance from White, who seemed to win every ball he challenged for, found Paton about 50 yards further up the field. The young Don held off the attention of Laurie Ellis and got in a shot with his left foot, which had O'Connor scrambling across goal.

In the 28th minute clever play from the impressive Janczyk saw him link up with Twigg with a lovely one-two, which saw the former Hearts man curl a great effort inches past the upright.

Raith's efforts on goals are all coming from outside the box and next to try his luck is Chris Silvestro, who fired well over from 30 yards.

In the the 37th minute, Raith's Mark Campbell was booked for persistent fouling. Gary Twigg taking the brunt of the punishment. Twigg had given Campbell a torrid afternoon and the referee finally lost patience with him.

City went two goals up two minutes before the interval. Once again, Neil Janczyk was the creator with a sublime 40 yard pass the picked out Twigg on the left flank. The City striker held off the attention of Craig Wilson before firing in a great cross which was dispatched brilliantly into the back of the net by strike partner, Michael Paton.

The worry for City so far this season, has been their inability to start off the second half half in a number of matches. However, the home support needn't have worried on this occasion. City produced a stunning spell of football for 20 minutes that should have yielded another two or three goals.

Four minutes into the restart, Jon Seeley was unfortunate to see his header bounce past the post from King's corner.

It should have been three nil in the 50th minute. Paton did very well to 'skin' Cook on the right flank and he sent an excellent cross to the far post, Wilson managed to clear, but the ball headed straight back into the Raith box and Sloan headed across the face of hos own goal, the ball broke well to King, who chested it down with the goal at his mercy, but fired over the bar.

In the 52nd minute, a mix up in the heart of the Rovers' defence saw Twigg put Paton away on the left. The striker cut inside his man and curled an excellent effort beyond O'Connor, but just the wrong side of the far post.

In the 55th minute, City produced a piece of football which would have resulted in the Goal of the season, had the chance been taken. Walker moved the ball inside from the right flank,Twigg flicked it on first time to Paton who held off Ellis and put in a great cross to the far post. Charlie King darted in to meet the ball first time and only a fortunate deflection off a Raith defender prevented a third goal. But City's passing and movement were exceptional.

A minute later, the reds went close again following a corner which broke out to Kevin Byers on the edge of the box. His well struck drive seemed to be heading for the corner of the net, only for it to hit team mate Jon Seeley on the back.

City were absolutely rampant at this stage and in the 57th minute Paton raced away from Campbell and shot wide of O'Connor, but just the wrong side of the post. Then Twigg cut inside Campbell and struck a sweet left-foot drive which gave the goalkeeper no chance, but rebounded off the inside of the post.

Byers picked out Paton with a clever ball, but the young striker tried to pick the far corner of the net and curled the ball wide of the target. By this stage Raith had changed their formation, despite being well behind to a 3-5-2 from a 4-4-2 in a bid to stop City's flowing football.

In the 74th minute, Janczyk produced a well worked free-kick after Campbell had fouled Twigg for the umpteenth time. He found Paton on the left, whose first time cross was headed straight into the arms of the goalkeeper by Twigg.

Raith sub Danny Ferry is next to try his luck from outside the box, but he also fired high over the bar.

With ten minutes remaining, Byers set off on a mazy run from the right wing and beat, Campbell, Ellis and Wilson, only for Ellis to get back and get in a saving tackle, just as the City midfield man is about to pull the trigger.

Two minutes later, former Raith man Byers went close again, when his sweetly struck effort was deflected over for a corner.

City introduced Adam Nelson for the hard-working Ian Nimmo with seven minutes left and Nelson was immediately involved as he linked up with Dyer and King to win City yet another corner kick.

Ferry found Raith sub Lee Bryce inside the box with six minutes left. The young striker has room on the left side of the penalty area, but sliced his shot harmlessly wide of the target.

Calum Smith replaced Charlie King and Raith continued to try their luck from long range, but both Ferry and Wilson lacked direction.

With two minutes left. One of many City Man of the match candidates, Neil Janczyk, was booked rather harshly for a trip on Wilson. City used their last sub when Ian Diack replaced the hugely impressive Gary Twigg in the 90th minute.

The final whistle sounded and Brechin found themselves fittingly on top of the table after a thoroughly impressive display, which saw some of the best football at the Glebe in years. A five or six nil victory wouldn't have flattered Brechin at all.

Kevin Byers received the Man of the match award, but their were umpteen candidates on a memorable afternoon with White, Janczyk, Nimmo, Twigg and Paton all worthy of further praise. On this form, City will be hard to beat.