Match Report - By John Hoey

Brechin City 0 Alloa Athletic 2

Brechin City will have it all to do at Recreation Park on Saturday after losing the First Division Play-Off semi-final first leg tie by 2-0 at Glebe Park last night.

City battled hard throughout the 90 minutes but a goal in each half for the visitors netted them a two goal advantage going into Saturday's second leg.

Ryan McCord and Kevin Moon were on the mark for the Wasps who must now fancy their chances this weekend but City will know that the outcome is far from a foregone conclusion and there's no doubt that the manager, coaching staff and players will feel that they can go to Alloa on Saturday and turn things round.

The opening minutes of the first-half were fairly edgy as both teams tried to get the measure of each other but the Wasps created the first opportunity after 13 minutes when Calum Eliot fired over from the edge of the box.

The visitors came close again five minutes later when Kevin Cawley played in McCord but the midfielder fired wide of the target.

Elliot had another opportunity after 26 minutes when he fired just inches past but City responded immediately with Moyes heading in a Trouten cross but Scott Bain saved easily.

The visitors should have grabbed the lead three minutes later when Elliot was clean through on goal but he blasted over the bar when it seemed easier to score.

City hit back in the 32nd minute when Derek Carcary collected a pass from Ryan Ferguson and fired in a shot which Bain did well to tip over the bar.

However the deadlock was broken five minutes before the break when Alloa grabbed the opener.

Ryan McCord was brought down in the penalty-box by Graham Hay and although Michael Andrews did well to save the midfielder's spot-kick, McCord was on hand to thump the rebound into the bottom corner of the net.

Cawley should have doubled his side's lead four minutes into the re-start when he was clean through on goal but he curled his shot inches wide of the target.

However, the Wasps continued to push forward and they grabbed the vital second goal eight minutes later when Kevin Moon picked up a clearance at the edge of the Brechin box before blasting a superb right-foot drive well beyond the reach of Andrews.

Cawley should have made it 3-0 in the 62nd minute when he raced clear of the City defence and bored in on goal but he curled his left-foot drive just wide of the target.

City tried to come back and they were unlucky not to reduce the deficit after 72 minutes when Trouten cut in from the left and fired in a shot which came back off the post but the Wasps defence cleared the danger and the hosts were unlucky again five minutes from the end when an Andy Jackson shot was cleared off the line by Stephen Simmons.

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

Forfar Athletic 3 Dunfermline Athletic 1

Loons In The Lead After Great Win Over Pars