Match Report - By John Hoey

Dunfermline Athletic 0 Brechin City 0

Brechin City started the 2014/15 league campaign with a battling draw at title favourites Dunfermline Athletic.

It was a really encouraging start to the league season for Ray McKinnon's men with the manager's game plan working to perfection. City ensured that clear-cut chances for the Pars were kept to an absolute minimum while hitting on the break and it may well have been three points rather than one if a great block from Ryan Scully in the Dunfermline goal and the woodwork hadn't denied Robert Thomson in the second-half. Having said that, Graeme Smith in the City goal was in inspired form, bringing off two or three wonderful saves to ensure that his team went away with a deserved share of the spoils.

There was good and bad news for the City supporters prior to the kick-off.

The good news was that centre-back Darren McCormack had recovered from injury and was in the starting line-up whilst the bad news was that influential midfielder Alan Trouten who tweaked his groin in training on Thursday night wasn't risked and was on the bench.

City started the game brightly and they won a free-kick at the right edge of the Pars penalty-box after just two minutes but Colin Hamilton fired his kick well over the bar.

City won another free-kick 25 yards from goal five minutes later but again the finish was disappointing with Callum Tapping sending his shot straight to home keeper Ryan Scully.

Dunfermline threatened a minute later when Ross Forbes sent a 20 yard drive just wide if Graeme Smith's right-hand post and the hosts came perilously close again a couple of minutes later when a great cross from Ross Millen was headed away for a corner by Jamie McCormack.

City hit back and a good move between Jamie McCormack and Ryan Ferguson ended with McCormack pushing deep into the home penalty-box but his final pass was weak and was cleared away by the Pars defence.

Dunfermline were having lots of possession but City were defending really well and curtailing the few clear-cut chances the hosts were creating.

Another good home move from the right after 22 minutes saw Andy Geggan deliver a dangerous cross from the right into the City box and Paul McLean had to look sharp to head the ball away for a corner.

In the 31st minute, City had a crop of half-chances after a Jamie McCormack cross was blocked for a corner. From the resultant kick Robert Thomson had two shots blocked in quick succession before Tapping fired over from 15 yards out.

The Pars continued to press with the visitors defending valiantly and in the 41st minute a drive from Faissal El Bakhtaoui trundled past Smith's right-hand post.

City started the second-half on the attack and within a minute a Tapping drive went just past the post. Andy Jackson got himself into space on the left just a minute later and delivered a great cross into the box which was unfortunately just beyond
Ryan Ferguson. The visitors had a great opportunity to take the lead seconds later when a great ball into the box found Thomson in front of goal but Scully brought off a great blocking save to deny him.

The Pars hit back and a Forbes free-kick was tipped over the bar by Smith and the keeper was called into action again six minutes later when he performed heroics to deny Michael Moffat. The striker created another chances for himself three minutes later when he turned Jamie McCormack in the box and fired in a shot which was held at the right-hand post by Smith.

Andy Geggan was next to have a go for the hosts in the 68th minute when he found himself with space in the City box but with the goal at his mercy he blasted his shot wide of the target.

City though had another great opportunity ten minutes later when Thomson again created space for himself in the box with only the goalkeeper to beat but with the City supporters on their feet ready to applaud what seemed to be a certain goal, the striker's shot incredibly cannoned back off the post.

Dunfermline immediately hit back and a great ball into the box by Spence was headed over the bar by Moffat. The striker had another chance with three minutes remaining when he collected a pass from substitute Chigozie Ugwu but he fired his shot just over the bar.

The last chance of the match however came City's way deep into injury-time when a drive from substitute Bobby Barr was tipped over the bar by Scully.

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