Match Report - By John Hoey

Brechin City 2 Stenhousemuir 1

Brechin City moved up to third place in the Scottish League One table after a hard-fought but deserved 2-1 victory over Stenhousemuir at Glebe Park.

It was City's fourth successive victory over the Ochilview men this season but they were made to fight all the way to secure a vital three points.

The Warriors grabbed the lead through veteran Colin MacMenamin after just three minutes but City fought back to equalise through Andy Jackson fourteen minutes later.

City had the edge in possession and pressure after the break and Paul McLean who had had to leave the field during the first-half to have stitches inserted in a nasty head gash blasted home what proved to be the winner fourteen minutes into the second-half.

The players again showed the application, effort and commitment which has been such a hallmark of their performances in the last few weeks and they fully deserved their victory.

As expected, Darren McCormack who had to come off the field against Dunfermline on Tuesday night failed to make the starting line-up, so Ewan McNeil came in at right-back with Paul McLean moving into central defence alongside Gerry McLauchlan. Bobby Barr, who had family commitments was also missing, so Andy Jackson who was a sub on Tuesday night came into Ray McKinnon's starting eleven.

The Warriors started the game really well and they sensationally grabbed the lead with only three minutes on the clock.

Paul McMullan picked up the ball wide on the right, and sent a delightful pass through the City defence for Colin MacMenamin who had time and space to lick his spot in the net.

City had a real let-off three minutes later when former midfielder Bryan Hodge tried a shot from around 15 yards which hit the base of Graeme Smith's right-hand post before going out for a goal-kick.


City hit back and Andy Jackson fed a delightful ball into the visitors penalty-box for Ryan Ferguson but unfortunately, Ryan overran the ball and the opportunity was lost.

Stenny then pushed forward with Smith having to look sharp to keep out an Anthony Merenghi free-kick.

City then went temporarily down to ten men with Paul McLean having to leave the field for treatment after a clash of heads with a visiting player. However, the reduction in their numbers didn't deter City who went up the field and equalised with a great goal from Andy Jackson.

Ryan Ferguson picked up the ball on the right and played it through to Jackson who fired home a blistering left-foot drive giving Stenny keeper Greg Fleming absolutely. I chance.

City started the second-half looking to grab the advantage and Robert Thomson headed a McNeil free-kick over the bar four minutes into the half.

McNeil was gain in the thick of the action four minutes later when he found space on the right before moving forward and delivering a good cross into the box for McLean who fired a shot just narrowly past Fleming's left-hand post.

'Pabs' had better luck just seven minutes later though when he hit home what proved to be the winning goal.

Thomson and McLauchlan both had efforts blocked by the visiting defence before the ball fell to McLean in the heart of the penalty-box and he wasted no time in dispatching a great drive past Fleming.

It was nearly goal number three just a few minutes later when Trouten made a great run down the right flank before crossing into the box but unfortunately just beyond Thomson, Jackson and Craig Storie.

The visitors tried to get back into the match in an effort to grab a previous point with Cieran Summers having two long-range efforts go wide of the target in the closing stages.