Match Report - By John Hoey

Brechin City gained their fifth draw on the trot after sharing the honours with Stenhousemuir at a rain-swept Ochilview Park.

Brechin grabbed the lead in the 29th minute with a glorious headed goal from Rory McAllister, but the Warriers equalised just three minutes before the break with a hotly disputed penalty-kick from Kevin Motion after Paul McLean had allegedly handled the ball inside the penalty-box. Referee Matt Northcroft awarded the penalty after consulting with his linesman, but most observers in the ground would have been of the view that the incident clearly took place out-with the penalty-box.

The result means that Brechin stay in third position in the Irn Bru Second Division, five points behind Stirling Albion and Cowdenbeath who shared four goals at Forthbank.

Manager Jim Duffy made just one change from the side that drew with Clyde at Glebe Park last weekend. Jon Seeley returned to central defence with Barry Smith moving up to midfield allowing Charlie King to return to a striking position. Kris Renton who started last week dropped to the bench.

The Warriers made all the early running and they had a chance to open the scoring in the 13th minute when Neil Janczyk, uncharacteristically misdirected a pass across the penalty box straight to Motion who fired over the bar from good position.

The hosts came close again just a minute later when Seeley headed a Scott Dalziel header off the line.

In the 18th minute good link-up play between Dalziel and Motion ended with the latter powering in a shot which Nelson did well to save.

Dalziel who was prominent in Stenny’s early attacks came close again just three minute later when he turned Seeley at the edge of the penalty area before trying a left-foot drive which went just over the bar.

City, who had been passing the ball around well without creating anything concrete in front of goal, grabbed the lead in the 29th minute with an absolutely superb goal from McAllister.

Janczyk passed the ball on the left touchline to Willie Dyer who delivered a terrific cross into the box for McAllister who outjumped the Stenny defence to power a header well beyond the reach of former City keeper Chris McCluskey.

McAllister nearly got his and Brechin’s second goal with just five minutes of the half remaining when he headed a Richard Walker cross just inches over the bar.

It looked as if City would go in at the break with a one goal advantage but they lost the equaliser with just three minutes of the half to go in hugely controversial circumstances.

A forward pass from the home defence was handled by McLean in a position that appeared to be just outwith the penalty-area, but to the City players’ consternation, the referee immediately awarded a spot-kick which was converted by Motion, with Nelson desperately unlucky not to save the striker’s effort.

Stenny were first to threaten after the break when Motion sent a volley just wide of the target in the 48th minute.

Brechin, though came right back and Dyer spurned a glorious opportunity a minute later when he found himself with space in the box but he blasted past from good position.

McAllister tried a shot from around 25 yards in the 52nd minute, but the ball took a deflection for a corner. The striker came close again just five minutes later when Barr sent a good pass to King who flicked the ball on to McAllister but his hook shot was brilliantly tipped over the bar by McCluskey.

The play was going from end to end and it was Stenny’s turn to come close in the 78th minute when Seeley did well to block a shot from Iain Thomson.

With four minutes remaining, substitute Kevin Byers played a forward pass to Dyer who tried his luck from 25 yards but McCluskey dealt easily with the defender’s effort.

With just a minute left, City won a corner on the right which was taken quickly by Barr who swung a good cross into the box for Kris Renton who headed goalwards, but McCluskey again came to Stenhousemuir’s rescue when he tipped the header over the bar.

( View Jim Duffy's and John Coughlin's Post-Match Comments on : -
stenhousemuirfc.com )

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