Match Report - By John Hoey

Brechin City 1 Airdrieonians 1

Brechin City and Airdrieonians shared the spoils in a strongly contested and hard-fought encounter at Glebe Park.

Former City striker Jim Lister gave the Diamonds the lead eight minutes before half-time, but Craig Molloy rescued a deserved point for the hosts early in the second-half when he fired home a great 25 yard drive.

Both sides will feel that they had chances to win the game but with East Fife conceding a last-minute penalty and all three points against Stenhousemuir at Bayview, both City and the Diamonds will feel reasonably satisfied with a share of the points, as the result leaves them four points ahead of the Fifers with just three games remaining with both sides due to meet the Gary Naysmith's men in the next couple of weeks.

There was a welcome return to the City line-up for Andy Jackson who has been missing for the last three games and he partnered Robert Thomson up front.

The first opportunity came Airdrie's way after seven minutes when Jim Lister played in Kiegan Parker but the midfielder steered his shot wide of Graeme Smith's right-hand post.

The visitors came close again three minutes later when Parker made a short pass to Caolan McAleer who cut into the box and fired in a shot which Smith turned over the bar.

City hit back and a long-range effort from Ryan Ferguson after twelve minutes was wide of the target. Darren McCormack then tried a shot from a similar distance for the Diamonds a couple of minutes later but it was too direct and Smith had little difficulty in saving.

McAleer came close again for Airdrie after 26 minutes when he cut inside Darren Petrie on the left touchline and powered in a right-foot drive which Smith turned over the bar and only a superb last-gasp tackle from Graham Hay on Liam Watt a minute later prevented the Diamonds midfielder from opening the scoring.

City had a half-chance on the half-hour mark when Robert Thomson nodded the ball down to Jackson but the striker's shot lacked power and Grant Adam saved easily.

The Diamonds won a free-kick just outside the City box a minute later but Smith easily held Parker's effort and the big keeper did really well seconds later to block the same player's close-range shot after Hay had slipped in the box.

However, the visitors pressure paid off in the 37th minute when they grabbed the lead. A long ball from defence was chased by ex City striker Jim Lister who held off the challenge of Hay to steer the ball beyond Smith.

Lister came close to adding to his tally four minutes later when he looked set to score but a timely tackle from Gerry McLauchlan averted the danger with the Airdrie players and bench screaming at referee Northcroft for what they perceived as a clear-cut penalty.

City picked up the initiative at the beginning of the second-half and they grabbed the equaliser with a cracking goal from Craig Molloy within six minutes.

The ball broke to Tiger 25 yards from goal and be unleashed a fierce right-foot drive which gave Adam no chance.

The visitors hit back straight away and Watt ballooned the ball over the bar from good position five minutes later.

However, City were forcing the pace with the strong wind behind them and Thomson almost scored in the 72nd minute when he picked up a short pass from Jackson in the box but his effort was thwarted by Adam.

The Diamonds came close a couple of minutes later when Parker made room for himself in the box and seemed set to score but he blasted wide from good position and the same player came close again in the 78th minute when his diagonal shot was wide.

But with the clock ticking away, it was City who were pushing forward in an effort to grab the elusive winner, but try as they might they couldn't prise open a stalwart visiting defence.

Other Results - Scottish League One

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Lichties Put Four Past Blues

Dunfermline Athletic 0 Forfar Athletic 0

Goalless At East End Park

East Fife 1 Stenhousemuir 2

Last-Gasp Penalty Secures Win For Warriors