Match Report - By John Hoey

Albion Rovers 3 Brechin City 1

Brechin City are almost certainly in the play-offs at the end of the season despite going down to a disappointing 3-1 defeat against Albion Rovers at Cliftonhill.

City just need to pick up one point from their remaining four matches to clinch that play-off position, but Forfar's heavy home defeat from champions Queen of the South means that City are virtually there.

City looked a wee bit jaded against Albion who were fighting for their Second Division survival, but given the number of games the City players have had to play over the last few weeks that was hardly surprising.

The visitors were unlucky after just 12 minutes when a Ryan Ferguson shot cannoned back off the post and shortly afterwards Gerry McGlauchlan also hit the woodwork.

City paid the price for those early misses when Albion who had been exerting a fair bit of pressure on the City rearguard grabbed the opener.

The hosts won a corner on the right, and when Gary Phillip's in-swinging corner came into the box, full-back Kevin Green was first to re-act, side-footing the ball home from close-range.

Albion doubled their lead twenty minutes into the second-half when a long ball from defence was chased by both McGlauchlan and Albion striker Chris Dallas. Big Gerry put in a tackle, but unfortunately for him, the ball broke kindly for Dallas who toe-poked it past Michael Andrews in the City goal.

This spurred the City players into action and they pulled a goal back with six minutes remaining when Alan Trouten converted from the penalty-spot after Ferguson had been impeded in the box by Albion skipper Cieran Donnelly.

However, any hopes City had of staging a fight-back were short lived as the hosts restored their two-goal advantage right at the death.

Substitute Ryan Tiffney was well in the clear and as he rounded Andrews, the keeper brought him down in the box. Michael was then sent off by referee Paul Robertson and from the resultant penalty ex City winger David Crawford sent stand-in goalie David McKenna the wrong way as he slotted the slotted the ball into the bottom right-hand corner of the net.

Other Results - Irn Bru 2nd Division

Arbroath 1 Stranraer 0

Vital Win For Lichties

East Fife 2 Alloa Athletic 1

Fifers Triumph Over Wasps

Forfar Athletic 0 Queen of the South 4

Champions Hit Four Against Loons

Stenhousemuir 4 Ayr United 0

Comfortable Victory For Warriors