Match Report - By John Hoey

Brechin City will meet Ayr United in the 4th round of the Active Nation Scottish Cup after defeating Wick Academy by 4-2 in the 3rd round replay at Glebe Park tonight.

Gary Fusco, Mark Docherty and Rory McAllister with a brace were on the mark for City in a thrilling match.

Wick, as in the first game, proved themselves to be worthy opponents and played some excellent passing football with Sam Mackay from the penalty-spot and Richard MacAdie scoring their goals.

City threatened as early as the fourth minute when McAllister blasted high over the bar from just outwith the penalty-box.

The hosts kept up the pressure and Fusco came close in the 15th minute when he drilled a right-foot shot just past the post.

The midfielder had better luck though just three minutes later when he scored the opener with a gem of a goal. Charlie King passed to Willie Dyer on the left touchline and he delivered a perfect cross into the box for Fusco who sent a low header well beyond the reach of Wick keeper Alan Bokas.

City came close again in the 33rd minute when a Richard Walker pass across the box gave Docherty a sight at goal but the winger's shot was deflected for a corner.

City were putting pressure on the Wick rearguard but they were shocked when the visitors drew level in the 39th minute from the penalty-spot.

Davie Allan collected a pass from midfield in space in the penalty-spot and was challenged by Craig Nelson just as he was about to shoot and to the consternation of the City defence referee Crawford Allan awarded a penalty which was well dispatched into the net by Mackay.

Wick's joy though was short-lived as Brechin grabbed the lead for the second time just three minutes later with a great goal from Docherty. The midfielder weaved his way into the box before firing a low drive into the corner of the net.

City began the second-half on the offensive and should have made it three in the 53rd minute when King sent a great cross into the box for McAllister but the striker was crowded out by the Wick defence. However, the same two players combined well just three minutes later when McAllister scored City's third goal when he headed a King cross from the right into the corner of the net.

City were now pushing forward at every opportunity and they scored gaol number four in the 72nd minute.

Kevin Byers on the right side of midfield played a good pass forward to McAllister who bore in on goal before picking his spot in the net.

A Byers angular drive a couple of minutes later missed the target by inches.

Wick though kept battling away and they got some further reward for their efforts when MacAdie fired home a close-range effort in the 82nd minute.

City boss Jim Duffy, speaking immediately after the match said,

" I thought that we played some good football and scored some fantastic goals and I felt that we thoroughly deserved to win the game.

Wick played very, very well over the two games and showed that they are a good footballing side. The manner in which they played meant that the game was very open-ended so a lot of credit has to go to them.

From my point of view though I was delighted with our performance.

We played a very positive formation and scored four goals and I'm delighted to be in the next round of the cup."