Match Report - By John Hoey

BRECHINC ITY 1 STIRLING ALBION 2


Brechin City suffered their second home defeat of the season to bottom of the table Stirling Albion at Glebe Park in what was undoubtedly one of the team’s most disappointing performances of the season.

There had been an air of optimism after last week’s fine away win against Arbroath in the Angus derby, but City never came anywhere near to repeating that level of performance against the Binos.

Trailing at the interval by 1-0, City supporters were hoping for their team to turn the tables and battle hard to get their noses in front after the break, but Stirling, superbly marshalled in midfield by Jamie McCunnie kept up the momentum and scored a further goal from Alan Cook with seven minutes remaining.

Although City pulled a goal back from Scot Buist three minutes later it was too little too late, and Stirling ran out deserved winners.

There was one change to the City side that defeated Arbroath last Saturday.

Paul McManus, who had picked up a knock in that game had failed to recover, so City started with Rory McKenzie and David McKenna aup front with Charlie King coming in at the right side of midfield.

The Binos had far the better of the first-half exchanges and deservedly went in at the interval one goal up.

The opener came in the 33rd minute when former City striker Graham Weir picked up a pass at the edge of the City box and played a good forward pass to Mark Ferry who lobbed oncoming City keeper Craig Nelson, who got a hand to the ball but couldn’t prevent it from entering the net.

The visitors had a chance to double their lead in the 66th minute when City substitute David Crawford impeded Cook in the penalty-box but Cook blasted the resultant penalty well wide of the target.

Stirling kept pressing forward and they wrapped up the points with just seven minutes remaining.

Cook made amends for his penalty miss by picking up the ball around 30 yards from the City box and he pushed forward into the home penalty-area before slotting the ball beyond Nelson into the bottom corner of the net.

City were stung into a reply and Scot Buist scored a late consolation three minutes later.

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Forfar Athletic 1 East Fife 4

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Stenhousemuir 0 Airdrie United 3

Diamonds Thrash Warriors