Match Report - By John Hoey

Brechin City and Annan Athletic will have to do it all again next Saturday at Galabank after the sides drew 2-2 at Glebe Park in the third round of the Scottish Cup.

City were in disappointing form throughout, but nothing can be taken away from Annan who fully deserved a second bite of the cherry after a very good team performance.

David McKenna had given City the lead in the 32nd minute, but Annan hit back after the break and got the equaliser in the 52nd minute after a superb free-kick from Aaron Muirhead.

City then got their noses in front again when McKenna headed home five minutes later but a Bryan Gilfillan header in the 68th minute won the visitors a deserved share of the spoils.

Manager Jim Weir made a couple of changes to the side that had drawn 0-0 with Forfar Athletic the previous Saturday.

Skipper Neil Janczyk returned to the team in place of Calum Booth who Hibernian didn’t want to be cup-tied while Paul Mulrooney made his first start of the season in place of Jamie Redman who dropped to the bench.

Annan gave a good account of themselves in a dull and uninspiring opening 45 minutes with Craig Nelson having to bring off a good save from Muirhead in the 15th minute, and five minutes later, a Jordan Halsman shot from the edge of the box was blocked by Mulrooney.

Annan were attacking at every opportunity and a 20 yard Chris Jardine shot after 20 minutes was well saved by Nelson.

City hadn’t been much in the game as an attacking force but they got their noses in front after 32 minutes with an opportunist goal from McKenna.

Rory McAllister picked up the ball wide on the right and bore in on goal before unleashing a fierce right-foot drive which was parried by Annan keeper John Jamieson into the path of Craig Molloy who promptly slipped the ball to McKenna who made no mistake, tapping the ball into the unguarded net.

The visitors pushed forward after the break and they deservedly grabbed the equaliser in the 52nd minute when Muirhead cracked home a magnificent free-kick from the left edge of the City penalty area.

This goal shook City into action, and they regained the initiative five minutes later when McKenna notched his second.

Murooney made room for himself down the right and crossed into the box for McAllister who headed the ball back for McKenna who dived low to head the ball home.

Annan though didn’t take this lying down and they equalised for the second time in the 68th minute when former City player Ian Harty crossed into the box for Gilfillan who headed past Nelson.

City had a chance to win the match with just five remaining when the ball fell kindly for McAllister in front of goal but the striker lost his balance in the muddy conditions and scooped the ball wide of the post.


For Kevin McGowne's postmatch report copy and paste this link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmH_m0RE96U

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