Match Report - By John Hoey

Brechin City 0 Airdrieonians 0

Brechin City and Airdrieonians shared the spoils after a 0-0 draw at Glebe Park.

The result extended City's great League unbeaten run to seventeen games, equalling the club record set in 1981 when Doug Houston was manager. The 0-0 final score-line was also the first 0-0 draw at the Glebe since November 2010, incredibly 92 home games ago.

Despite the score-line, this was a match that City dominated from start to finish. Their efforts were thwarted by some solid defending from the visitors but they were also very unlucky not to have been awarded a penalty early in the first-half after Robert Thomson was sent tumbling in the Diamonds penalty-box and what looked like a netbound Paul McLean shot shortly afterwards brought off a brilliant point-blank save from Andy McNeil.

City continued to dominate both possession and pressure in the second-half but were unable to find the goal that would have ensured them a deserved victory.

Despite injury concerns regarding Paul McLean, Darren McCormack, Gerry McLauchlan and Alan Trouten before the match, all four players were in their usual places as a full-strength City side took the field.

The visitors had the first opportunity after just a couple of minutes when a Bryan Prunty fired a shot from the edge of the box well over the bar but City hit back immediately when Craig Storie picked up the ball at the edge of the penalty area and passed to Craig Molloy whose effort was also well wide of the target.

City had another chance five minutes later when Robert Thomson picked up the ball on the left and moved towards the Diamonds box before firing in a right-foot drive which Airdrie keeper Andy McNeil tipped over the bar.

City continued to press, and they had extremely strong claims for a penalty turned down by referee Kevin Graham in the 19th minute when Thomson collected a pass deep in the Airdrie box before being brought down in full view of the referee. Incredibly, Mr Graham waved play on despite protests from the City players.

City continued to push forward and an Andy Jackson shot was deflected for a corner in the 17th minute and seconds later Paul McLean rifled in a close-range shot which brought off a brilliant point-blank save from McNeil.

With ten minutes of the half remaining, Molloy struck a beauty from around 25 yards which went just over the bar. It wasn't all City however as some good build-up play from the Diamonds four minutes later ended with Jamie Bain heading a Prunty cross from the left just over the bar.

City grabbed the initiative again at the beginning of the second-half and five minutes into the half, Thomson played a good one-two with Alan Trouten who forced his way into the visitors penalty-box only to be crowded out by the Airdrie defence and Gerry McLauchlan headed a Bobby Barr corner over the bar a couple of minutes later.

Barr threatened again in the 54th minute when he weaved his way into the penalty-box before firing in a shot which was deflected for a corner.

The visitors had a half-chance in the 62nd minute when Liam Lindsay tried a shot from around 20 yards which went just past Graeme Smith's left-hand post.

City continued to push forward though in search of the opening goal with Trouten firing wide of the target in the 74th minute. 'Trouts' had a half-chance again just four minutes later when a McLauchlan header from a Barr corner was deflected into his path but again he was crowded out by the visitors defence and his shot from the narrowest of angles went into the side-netting and with six minutes remaining a Storie shot on the turn from a McLean pass was saved by McNeil.

The match concluded in dramatic circumstances for the visitors almost upon the final whistle when former City striker Jim Lister who had previously been booked was given a second yellow card by the referee for kicking the ball away after the whistle had gone for an infringement.

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