Match Report - By John Hoey

Brechin City have reached their second First Division Play-Off Final on the trot after a 2-0 victory against Cowdenbeath at Central Park, winning the tie with a 4-2 aggregate scoreline.

Two late second-half goals from Jamie Redman and Craig Molloy wrapped up victory for City who gained sweet revenge for last year's cup final defeat from the same opponents.

City will now go forward to the final against Ayr United with the first leg coming up at Somerset Park this coming Wednesday with the second leg taking place at Glebe Park on Sunday 22nd May.

Manager Jim Weir kept faith with the side that started the second-half on Wednesday night which meant that skipper Neil Janczyk and Gary Fusco joined Mark Archdeacon, David White and David Scott on the bench.

Stand-In skipper Ewan Moyes led City onto the park but if the fans were expecting a repeat of Wednesday night's enthralling encounter they would have been sorely disappointed with the opening 45 minutes which were dull and drab to say the least with both defences well on top although the Blue Brazil had the better of the very few chances created.

In the 14th minute, Greg Stewart picked up the ball on the left bye-line and swung in a cross cum shot which Craig Nelson was happy to see go past his right-hand post.

Cowden created a better opportunity in the 27th minute when Mark Ramsay beat Moyes on the right touchline and squared the ball across the edge of the penalty-area to Colin Cameron whose first-time volley was well parried by Nelson, and three minutes later, a Scott Linton cross from the left was headed well past the target by Jon Robertson.

On the stroke of half-time, Rory McAllister fired a 20 yard free-kick past David Hay's left-hand post.

In the 53rd minute, Cowden substitute Marc McKenzie tried a shot from 30 yards but it was well wide of the target and in the 66th minute, Nelson brought off a fine save from a Stewart volley from the edge of the box.

City had a good chance a minute later when Jordan Kirkpatrick swung in a cross from the left which fell kindly for Gary Fusco who looked set to score but Hay brought off a good save to deny him.

The hosts were beginning to exert a bit of sustained pressure on the City defence and Stewart came close with a shot which went narrowly past in the 73rd minute.

It was City though who made the vital breakthrough when they grabbed the lead with a well-worked goal just five minutes later.

Fusco played a good pass forward to Andrew Cook who then delivered an accurate cross into the box for Redman who wasted no time in slotting the ball into the bottom corner of the net.

City fans had hardly stopped celebrating this goal when the visitors went two goals up.

McAllister raced clear and unselfishly passed to Molloy who neatly beat a couple of defenders in the box before firing the ball past Hay.

City were firing on all cylinders now and with a minute remaining Hay did really well to tip a McAllister shot over the bar after a Molloy pass had created the opening.

In the final minute. Hay came to Cowden's rescue again when he saved a McAllister header from a Fusco corner.

See postmatch interveiw with Jim Weir here: Copy and paste
http://youtu.be/9RdPXZz_0Vg

Other Results - First Division Play-Off Semi-Final (Second Leg)

Ayr United 3 Forfar Athletic 3

Ayr Reach Play_off Final after draw with Loons