Match Report - By John Hoey

Brechin City and East Fife shared the spoils in a 0-0 draw at New Bayview.

Despite the score-line, the match was evenly-matched and well-contested, and a draw at the end of the day was probably a fair result which was aknowledged by City boss Jim Weir at the end of the game.

The match was spoilt by the second-half sending-off of City's Dougie Hill by referee Kevin Clancy, apparently for retaliation. The decision incensed the City supporters and meant that the team had to play the majority of the second-half with ten men.

However, City kept trying to come forward in an effort to win the game and only hard luck and some fine goalkeeping by Fifer's keeper Michael Brown prevented them from winning the match.

City manager Jim Weir made just two changes from the team that started against Peterhead last Saturday with Gerry McGlauchlan and Rory McAllister returning at the expense of David White and Mark Archdeacon.

City had the first opportunity after eight minutes when Dougie Hill picked up a pass from Neil Janczyk at the edge of the box and fired in a shot which was well wide of the target.

A couple of minutes later, David McKenna had a go, also from the edge of the box, but his effort was well over the bar.

McAllister was clean through on goal after 14 minutes but a magnificent tackle from John Ovenstone prevented what looked like being a certain goal.

In 23 minutes, McAllister neatly beat his man in the box and seemed set to score but a great save from Michael Brown averted the danger and seconds later Rory fired in a right-foot drive which was just wide of the target.

On the half- hour mark, McAllister looked set to score again but once again Brown brought off a magnificent save to deny him.

The Fifers, who had hardly been seen as an attacking-force, had a couple of chances just before the break.

In the 37th minute, Craig Nelson did well to turn a Steven Hislop header from a Bobby Linn free-kick round the post and Linn himself fired in a 20 yard shot on the stroke of half-time which went just past Nelson's right-hand post.

The Fifers started the second-half on the offensive and came close to opening the scoring in the 47th minute when Gerry McGlauchlan did really well to block a shot from Lloyd Young.

A great piece of skill and trickery from Kevin Byers in the 57th minute saw him edge into the opposition penalty-box and only a great blocking tackle from Ovenstone prevented him from scoring.

There was disaster for City just five minutes later when they were reduced to ten men after Hill was felled by a tackle from Hislop. It looked as though the referee would have dealt with the situation by booking the East Fife striker but he incredibly showed a red card to Hill for apparent retaliation and then booked Hislop.

This gave the hosts heart and Nelson did really well to save a firece drive from Jim Hamilton in the 78th minute and a couple of minutes later a great tackle from Moyes stopped Young who was clean through on goal.

In the final minutes, despite being a man down, City pushed forward in an effort to get the winner and they came very close to breaking the deadlock in the 89th minute when McAllister eased past a couple of defenders into the box but he sent his right-foot drive just inches past the post and a minute later Brown did well to hold a Moyes header from a Byers corner.

Jim Weir Postmatch interview can be found here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZHMiCA9RuI

East Fife Gaffer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMu2DeqM21g

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