Match Report - By John Hoey

Brechin City 2 Forfar Athletic 3

Brechin City's League One title ambitions took a knock after a 3-2 defeat from Angus neighbours Forfar Athletic at Glebe Park.

City started the game really well and grabbed the lead after six minutes with a glorious strike from Paul McLean but Forfar fought back to level through a deflected Derek Young shot in the 13th minute and the Loons grabbed the lead a couple of minutes later when former City striker Chris Templeman, looking in a decidedly suspicious offside position it has to be said, slotted the ball home from close-range. The second-half was evenly matched but the visitors went further ahead in the 64th minute when Darren Dods rose above the home defence to power home a header from a Martyn Fotheringham corner but City fought back and reduced the deficit when Andy Jackson headed home a Calum Tapping corner with six minutes remaining. City then went all out for the equaliser but the Forfar defence stood firm and the visitors held on for a vital three points.

City manager Ray McKinnon welcomed back skipper Craig Molloy, Paul McLean and Gary Fusco into his starting line-up while Forfar boss Dick Campbell made one change from the side that had defeated Stranraer the previous week with Martyn Forheringham replacing Stephen Husband.

City started the game on the offensive and they dramatically grabbed the lead after six minutes. Paul McLean picked up the ball just inside the City half and pushed forward leaving a couple of Loons defenders in his wake before unleashing a wonderful right-foot drive which sailed into the top left-hand corner of Rab Douglas's net giving the big keeper absolutely no chance.

The visitors hit back and Graeme Smith held a Templeman drive after nine minutes and and Ewan McNeil sent a long-range effort over the bar a minute later.

Forfar then pushed forward in numbers and they grabbed the equaliser in the 13th minute. The ball was played through to Derek Young at the edge of the box and the midfielder fired in a shot which took a deflection off City defender Darren McCormack, leaving keeper Graeme Smith stranded. Worse was to follow for City when the Loons went 2-1 up just a couple of minutes later. The ball was played in from the left to Templeman and with the City defence claiming for offside, the veteran striker kept his composure to slot the ball past Smith.

The Loons then enjoyed the majority of possession and pressure but the hosts had three half-chances in the final three minutes of the half. With two minutes remaining, McLean sent a header from a Bobby Barr corner just over the bar and Barr himself fired in a drive which was just wide of the target a minute later with a close-range Andy Jackson shot blocked by the visitors defence on the stroke of half-time.

City tried hard in the opening minutes of the second-half to grab the equaliser and Jackson did well to hold up the ball in the Loons penalty-box and play it back to Barr but Bobby sent his shot into the side netting.

Gavin Swankie then pushed his way forward to the edge of the City box and fired I a fierce right-foot drive which was palmed away by Smith. The Loons kept up the pressure and they scored their third goal of the afternoon three minutes later when ex City midfielder swung in a great corner from the left right into the heart of the City defence and Darren Dods was first to react to send a great header well beyond the reach of Smith.

City fought hard to get back into the game with Robert Thomson heading just over the bar in the 71st minute and a couple of minutes later at the other end, Swankie fired in a shot just wide of the target. City kept trying though and they got reward for their efforts with four minutes remaining when Jackson powered home a header from a Calum Tapping corner, but try as they might they just couldn't find a way last a resolute Loons defence to grab a dramatic late equaliser.