Match Report - By John Hoey

BRECHIN CITY 3 ARBROATH 2


Brechin City moved up a couple of places to fourth place in the Irn Bru Second Division after a deserved 3-2 win against near neighbours Arbroath in a pulsating Angus derby at Glebe Park.

Stuart Malcolm with an own goal after just seven minutes set City on the road to victory and Paul McLean scored his first goal of the season ten minutes before the break to make in 2-0.

The Red Lichties pulled a goal back through player-manager Paul Sheerin twelve minutes into the second-half but Alan Trouten restored City’s two-goal advantage three minutes later, and although the visitors pulled another goal back from the penalty-spot shortly afterwards when Steven Doris converted, City held on for a deserved victory.

City started strongly, putting a lot of pressure on the Arbroath defence and they grabbed the lead after seven minutes.

Trouten broke free on the right boring in on goal and when he drilled the ball across the face of the goal, Arbroath central defender Stuart Malcolm was helpless to stop the ball coming off his foot and ending up in the bottom corner of the net.

City continued top press with the Arbroath defence having problems coping with the pace of Trouten and Derek Carcary on the flanks with Jackson and Byrne also causing problems with their ability to hold up the ball and play some great passes into the wide positions.

However, Arbroath gradually weathered the storm and began to have more possession without creating any clear-cut opportunities but they found themselves two goals down after 35 minutes when Byrne played a good pass to McLean on the left side of the penalty-area. Paul then had the option of delivering a cross into the box or trying a shot and he chose the latter option firing home a blistering right-foot drive into the bottom corner of the net.

Arbroath started the second-half in determined fashion and they pulled a goal back after 57 minutes when Derek Holmes headed a pass from Brian Kerr back to Sheerin at the edge of the box and the player-boss wasted no time in firing home a tremendous left-foot drive.

This stung City into a response and they restored their two-goal advantage just four minutes later.

Carcary raced clear of the Arbroath defence and when his cross came into the box, Trouten was on hand to blast the ball past a helpless Bullock into the roof of the net.

The game was now swinging from end to end and the visitors pulled back a goal again three minutes later when Steven Doris was challenged in the penalty-box by Gary Fusco. It seemed a fair enough tackle, but referee Gary Hilland had no hesitation in pointing to the penalty-spot and Doris gave Michael Andrews no chance with the resultant penalty.

Both sides continued to press forward in the closing stages but the City defence superbly marshalled by Euan Moyes and Graham Hay held firm as the team held on for a vital three points.

Other Results - Irn Bru 2nd Division

Albion Rovers 2 Ayr United 0

Important Win for Albion

Queen of the South 4 Stranraer 1

Leaders Too Stronng for Blues