Match Report - By John Hoey

Brechin City 2 Stirling Albion 1

Brechin City moved a step closer to that coveted fourth play-off position with a narrow 2-1 win over Stirling Albion who are now officially relegated to League Two for next season.

Andy Jackson gave City the perfect start when he fired home the opener after twelve minutes and City then proceeded to create and miss several opportunities during that opening period. Stirling fought back after the break without creating anything clear-cut in front of goal but they scored a dramatic equaliser three minutes from time when substitute Sandy Cunningham rose above the City defence to head past Graeme Smith.

With so little time left it looked as if City would have to settle for what would have been a disappointing share of the points but the hard-working Jackson came to his side's rescue deep into injury-time when his superb overhead kick beat Callum Reidford in the Binos goal.

Manager Ray McKinnon had one enforced change to make from the side that had defeated Morton the previous week. Gerry McLauchlan who had been injured in that game was replaced in central defence by Paul McLean with Ewan McNeil coming in to fill in for Paul at right-back.

The early exchanges were fairly scrappy with both sides struggling to get the ball down and the blustery conditions were certainly making it difficult for both sets of players to play a passing game. However, City grabbed the opener in the 12th minute with a typical opportunist goal from Jackson when he pounced on a loose ball in the visitors penalty-box to drill a low, left-foot drive into the bottom left-hand corner of Callum Reidford's goal.

City kept up the pressure and they were really unfortunate not to make it 2-0 three minutes later when Robert Thomson did really well to hold up the ball at the edge of the Stirling box before playing a cross-field pass for Masson whose fierce right-foot drive cannoned off the base of the post before rolling towards the open net. Thomson rushed forward to prod the ball home, but he unfortunately had ran into an offside position and the goal was disallowed.

The Binos hit back, and Andy Stirling played a good ball,across the face of the City goal for Gordon Smith who blasted his shot well wide of the target.

City then regained the initiative and Thomson played a good pass through to Jackson in the 25th minute but Jacko shot inches past the post. Bobby Barr then came close four minutes later when he tried a shot from 25 yards but Reidford gathered the ball safely. Barr came close again in the 34th minute when he picked up the ball to the left of the Stirling box and pushed forward before firing in a drive which was just inches past. It should definitely have been 2-0 eight minutes before the break when Masson collected a good pass from Jackson but with plenty of time and space, the midfielder hurried his shot which went well over the bar and the last opportunity of the half came City's way in the 41st minute when Thomson headed a Jackson cross past the post.

City started the second-half brightly with Masson racing clear of the visitors defence and firing in a shot within two minutes, but Reidford brought off a good save.

Stirling then exerted a bit of pressure without creating anything clear-cut in front of goal but City then raced into attack with Barr playing a good pass in for Masson who in turn released Thomson who bore in on goal but unfortunately Robert overran the ball and the opportunity was lost. Gary Fusco then tried a shot from 15 yards which was blocked and in the 64th minute Masson fired a free-kick wide of the target.

Jamie tried a speculative 40 yard drive in the 64th minute which went past the post and eight minutes later Thomson raced clear of the Stirling back line and looked set to score, but Reidford was quickly off his line to smother the ball at the striker's feet.

Reidford was again called into action with five minutes remaining when he came out of his goal quickly to narrow the angel and deny Jackson a chance of a shot.

However, the roof fell in for City just a couple of minutes later when the Binos who had hardly created anything in the way of clear-cut opportunities scored. Dramatic equaliser. Stirling flighted a free-kick into the City box with Fusco heading the ball into the air but with City struggling to clear their lines Binos sub Sandy Cunningham was first to react to glide a header past Smith.

It was a real hammer-blow for City given the number of opportunities they had created but to their credit they pushed forward again to try and grab that winning goal. Jackson broke free in the final minute and drilled in a low drive which was just inches last and seconds later Barr jinxed his way j it the box and fired in a shot which was just inches past. Now deep into injury-time and with the final whistle looming, it looked as though City would have to settle for a draw but the players were surging forward and they got their reward three minutes into injury-time when the ball was played into the box for Jackson who kept his composure before executing a superb overhead kick which sailed past Reidford into the net.

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