Match Report - By John Hoey

FORFAR ATHLETIC 4 BRECHIN CITY 1


Brechin City’s slim chances of obtaining one of the play-off positions were dealt a severe blow at Station Park as an under-strength Forfar team ran out easy 4-1 winners against a lack-lustre City side.

City were never really at the races against the Loons and after the game manager Jim Weir described the performance as “ embarrassing.”

The game was virtually over as a contest at half-time with Forfar in a convincing 3-0 lead and although Scot Buist pulled a goal back for City within a minute of the restart, the anticipated fight-back never materialised and a further goal from Forfar in the second-half merely underlined their superiority.

The performance from City must rank as their worst of the season and the players will be anxious to get this result out of their system and go all out to get a crucial three points in their next game against Albion Rovers at Glebe Park.

The opening stages were uneventful with neither side creating any clear-cut opportunities but the Loons grabbed an unexpected opener after 20 minutes when Nicky Low picked up a pass on he left and delivered a short cross just into the penalty area where Martyn Fotheringham had time and space to glance a header past Craig Nelson into the corner of the net.

Low himself got in on the act just twelve minutes later when he fired home a fierce left-foot drive which Nelson was helpless to stop.

Forfar were firing on all cylinders and they made it 3-0 with just a couple of minutes of the first-half remaining and it was two ex City players who combined to inflict the damage.

Fotheringham played a short pass to Byers who took a couple of steps forward before unleashing a glorious right-foot drive which sailed past Nelson.

City began the second-half with Jim Lister replacing David McKenna and within a minute of the restart they had reduced the deficit when Bryan Hodge sent an inch-perfect cross into the box for Buist who headed powerfully past Craig Paterson in the Forfar goal.

City fans would have expected their team to take heart from the goal and stage a fight-back but City sadly allowed Forfar to grab the initiative once again and it was no surprise when the Loons scored a further goal in the 67th minute when Fotheringham converted from the penalty-spot after Low, who had been a thorn in City’s side throughout had been fouled in the box by Gary Fusco.

Manager Jim Weir speaking after the game, said,

“ First and foremost I’m embarrassed as Brechin City manager at the performance of my team.”

“ We lost a terrible first goal and I thought the goals after that were just schoolboys’ stuff and afterwards the team looked punchless and toothless.”

“ We spoke at half-time and said that Forfar hadn’t had to do that much to get their three goal lead and although we got a lift with a goal just after half-time we lost another penalty which was quite tough to watch given the number of free-kicks and penalties we’ve given away recently.”

“ I can quite understand the frustration shown by the supporters and they’re quite right to vent their frustrations out on me because results like that really hurt. It hurts the committee and hurts the supporters and it’s got to start hurting the players.”

“ Forfar were not at their strongest today but they didn’t have to be as it’s been the story of our season so far – we’ve beat ourselves.”

“ I still think that there are individuals in the team who can do a good job for the club but the season so far has been a major disappointment. We now find ourselves in a position we didn’t start out to be in at the start of the season. There’s still plenty games to go, but reality has got to hit soon and we’ve got to get points on the board to ensure that we don’t get dragged into an area where we don’t want to be.”

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