Match Report - By John Hoey

Brechin City 0 Dundee 0

Brechin City and Dundee shared the spoils in a 0-0 draw in last night's pre-season friendly at Glebe Park.

Despite the score-line it was a thoroughly entertaining game with Dundee dominating in terms of movement, possession and pressure with City happy to soak up the pressure and hit on the counter-attack.

City had a great chance to open the scoring after just three minutes when a mis-placed pass across the penalty-box by Cammy Kerr was intercepted by Robert Thomson but the big striker delayed his shot too long and fired past the post.

The visitors responded immediately and Peter McDonald steered a header from a Phil Roberts corner just over the bar. The Dark Blues came close again a couple of minutes later when a Greg Stewart shot went just past.

The play then swung to the other end and Paul McGinn had to look sharp to head a dangerous cross into the box by Alan Trouten behind for a corner.

The visitors did have the ball in the net three minutes before the break when a superb diagonal pass from Kevin Thomson was finished off by Phil Roberts, but he was ruled offside and a couple of minutes later a McDonald free-kick came crashing back off the crossbar.

The visitors started the second-half with trialist Kieron Cadogan, Paul McGowan, James McPake, Gary Harkins, Jim McAllister, Gary Irvine and Craig Wighton replacing Iain Davidson, Kevin Thomson, Cameron Kerr, Martin Boyle, Nicky Riley, Greg Stewart and Phil Roberts while City kept the same team that began the game.

Dundee started the second-half as they finished the first, putting lots of pressure on the City defence but they were again finding the home rearguard in an uncompromising frame of mind.

Dundee did have a half-chance in the 62nd minute when they won a free-kick in good position at the edge of the City box but substitute Gary Harkins fired his shot well over the bar.

However with just three minutes remaining, City missed two great opportunities with a great Alan Trouten volley going just over and Dundee keeper Grant Adam bringing off a great save to deny Bobby Barr

City boss Ray McKinnon said,

" I thought that the lads did brilliantly tonight."

" We worked extremely hard, showed great desire not to lose a goal and did really well on the counter-attack.

Teams
Brechin City - Smith, Trialist, Hamilton, McLean, S. Jackson, McCormack, Trouten, Molloy, A. Jackson, Fusco, Thomson
Subs - McLauchlan, Cameron, Barr, Ferguson, Trialist, Trialist, Tough (GK)
Dundee - Adam, McGinn, Benedictus, Davidson, Kerr, Boyle, Thomson, Riley, Roberts, McDonald, Stewart
Subs - Irvine, McPake, McBride, McGowan, McAllister, Cadogan, Harkins, Letheren (GK)

Attendance - 1012