Match Report - By John Hoey

Brechin City 1 Morton 1

Brechin City and Morton shared the points in a pulsating and closely contested encounter at Glebe Park.

The main talking point after the game was a hotly contested penalty, awarded by referee Euan Anderson eight minutes into the second-half which was converted by Ross Caldwell, but this decision spurred the City players into action and they laid siege to the Morton goal thereafter with Robert Thomson coming off the subs bench to score the all-important equalising goal with twelve minutes remaining.

A share of the spoils was the least City deserved in contest that had swung from end to end for a good part of the 90 minutes but the players will rightly feel aggrieved that they didn't collect all three points as they certainly dominated proceedings for the latter stages of the second-half when it looked as if they would go on to win the match.

There was a shock for City supporters just before kick-off with striker Andy Jackson missing from the starting eleven and subs bench. Manager Ray McKinnon handed a starting berth to Aberdeen loan midfielder Craig Storie who began the match playing just behind main striker Alan Trouten with Ryan Ferguson taking 'Trouts' usual wide right midfield berth.

The visitors threatened after just three minutes when great play from left midfielder Stefan McCluskey saw him make ground wide on the left. He then cut inside and delivered a good lass across the face of the goal for Caldwell whose first-time shot was tipped over the bar by Graeme Smith.

Michael Miller was next to have a go for Jim Duffy's men six minutes later but his long-range 25 yard effort was well wide of the target. There was good build-up play from the visitors again three minutes later which ended with Declan McManus firing I a low drive which was safely gathered by Smith at his left-hand post.

City responded with an equally good move on the quarter of an hour mark when Trouten played a good pass through the Morton defence to Storie who had timed his run perfectly, but keeper Derek Gaston had spotted the danger and was quickly off his line to avert the danger.

Smith was called into action for City again in the 24th minute when he tipped a cross/cum shot from Connor Pepper on to the crossbar with the ball being cleared upfield by the City defence.

City responded immediately with Ryan Ferguson delivering a superb defence-splitting pass into the path of Trouten but Gaston was again very quick to spot the danger and was off his line in seconds to narrow the angle and block the shot.

Morton almost caught City out with a quick counter-attack seconds later when McManus raced clear and squared the ball,across the face of the goal for the unmarked Caldwell but Smith was quickly off his line and smothered the ball at the striker's feet.

It was end to end stuff again in the early minutes of the second-half with both sides eager to make that vital breakthrough with the opening goal but that goal unfortunately came Morton's way with a hotly disputed penalty-kick eight minutes into the half.

The ball was played forward into the City box and when Gary Fusco challenged McManus for the ball the referee immediately awarded a spot-kick. Gary's challenge had seemed fair and the City players were incensed with the decision but ref Euan Anderson waved away their protests with Caldwell duly converting from the spot

The City players seemed she'll-shocked with this decision but rather than let their heads go down, they rolled up their sleeves and pushed forward in an effort to grab the equaliser. In the 67th minute Bobby Barr who was having a great game in the left side of midfield flighted in a cross which was just missed by Thomson who had come on as a substitute along with Ewan McNeil just four minutes earlier with Ferguson and Storie making way.

Barr again came very close in the 70th minute when he picked up the ball and fired in a great right-foot drive which was tipped over the bar by Gaston.

City were laying siege to the visitors goal their pressure at last laid off just four minutes later with Barr the provider. Bobby picked up the ball wide on the left and flighted a great cross into the Morton box with For a thomson who rose above the Morton defence to bullet a header past Gaston.

With five minutes remaining, City looked set to score a dramatic winner when Paul McLean did really well to win the ball wide on the right touchline and he then crossed into the box for Trouten who looked set to score but the ball was whipped fro. Under his feet with a last-gasp tackle from Lee Kilday.

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