Match Report - By John Hoey

Brechin City 1 Stranraer 2

Brechin City went down to their second straight league defeat with Stranraer coming out on top by 2-1 at Glebe Park.

The Blues opened the scoring after 28 minutes when skipper Frank McKeown rose high above the City defence to power home a header but City drew level eight minutes later when Robert Thomson blasted the ball home after a great City move.

Both teams pushed forward after the break but it was the Blues who made the vital breakthrough with seventeen minutes renaming when Sean Winter headed home a Chris Aitken cross.

City manager Ray McKinnon handed a debut to young Ewan McNeil who replaced Jamie McCormack at right-back with Gerry McLauchlan coming in for Darren McCormack at the heart of the defence. Ryan Ferguson was also restored to the City line-up on the left side of midfield but there was no starting berth for former Hibs and Celtic striker Derek Riordan, signed on a trialist basis late the previous evening although he found a place on the bench.

City had the first opportunity after just seven minutes when Colin Hamilton headed the ball across the face of the goal for McLauchlan but big Gerry's header was easily held by David Mitchell.

City had another chance after twenty two minutes when Andy Jackson picked up the ball just within the opposition half and then made a bee-line for goal, firing his shot just inches wide of the target, and it was the hosts who threatened again just four minutes later when Jamie Masson sent a free-kick just over the bar.

Stranraer then had their first real chance a couple of minutes later when Chris Aitken's diagonal drive was palmed away by Graeme Smith and the Blues grabbed the advantage from the resultant corner when Jackson Longridge flighted a superb ball into the box for Frank McKeown who rose high above the City defence to power home a header.

City hit back and scorned a great chance to equalise two minutes later when Hamilton glanced a header wide of Mitchell's left-hand post but Stranraer almost made it 2-0 shortly afterwards when a quick corner taken by Willie Gibson gave Aitken a chance and his drive skimmed the top of the bar before being cleared.

City though pushed forward and they got their reward when they equalised after a great three-man move in the 36th minute.

Ryan Ferguson collected the ball wide on the left and cut inside before passing to Bobby Barr who in turn laid the ball on for the incoming Robert Thomson who blasted a great right-foot drive into the bottom corner of the net. However the Blues Al ost regained the lead just a minute later when Sean Winter forced his way into the City box before firing I a right-foot shot which cannoned back off the post.

Both teams began the second-half on the offensive in search of another goal but it was City who had the first opportunity in the 58th minute when Ferguson picked up a loose clearance from the Stranraer defence and pushed forward before releasing Barr whose right-foot drive went narrowly past and City came close again seven minutes later when Masson delivered a superb free-kick straight into the heart of the Blues defence with Paul McLean first to react, unfortunately heading the ball just over the bar.

The visitors then put the City defence under a period of pressure and they scored what proved to be the winning goal in the 73rd minute.

Aitken collected the ball on the left side of the box and sent a pin-point cross over the heads of the City defenders for Winter who glanced a downwards header beyond the reach of Smith.

City then pushed forward with Robert Thomson heading a cross from substitute Jamie McCormack well wide of the target and within the last minute the City players had what appeared good grounds for a penalty denied by referee Andrew Dallas after a Blues defender looked to have handled the ball in the box.

Other Results - Scottish League One

Dunfermline Athletic 0 Forfar Athletic 0

Top Two Share The Honours

Morton 0 Ayr United 1

Honest Men Come Out On Top At Cappielow

Peterhead 1 Airdrieonians 1

Spoils Shared At Balmoor Stadium

Stirling Albion 0 Stenhousemuir 4

Warriors Thrash Binos