Match Report - By John Hoey

Brechin City 3 Dunfermline Athletic 0

Brechin City moved to within one point of the Scottish Championship play-offs after a comprehensive and deserved 3-0 victory over Dunfermline at Glebe Park.

City now just need a point from their remaining two matches (Stenhousemuir - Away and Stranraer - Home) to book their place in the play-offs.

Two goals from Alan Trouten gave City a commanding 2-0 lead at half-time with the visitors reduced to ten men early on when Ross Millen was sent off for an off-the-ball challenge on Trouten and although the Pars battled hard after the break, Andy Jackson's third goal midway through the second-half wrapped up the points for City.

The result marked manager Ray McKinnon's fiftieth competitive win as City boss and no doubt the manager will be hoping to make it fifty two over the course of the next couple of weeks.

Ray made one change from the side that defeated Stirling Albion last weekend with Robert Thomson dropping down to the bench to make way for Alan Trouten.

There was early action at both goalmouths in the opening minutes with Jamie Masson flighting in a cross just over the bar within the first sixty seconds and the Pars responding with an Alex Whittle shot from the edge of the box going just wide of the target.

There was drama however after thirteen minutes when the visitors were reduced to ten men.

City were awarded a free-kick just within the Dunfermline half and as Ewan McNeil lined up to take the kick Alan Trouten inexplicably received an elbow in the back from Pars defender Ross Milllen. The incident took place in full view of the referee and stand side linesman and Mr McKendrick had no hesitation in showing Millen the red card.

City immediately put pressure on the Dunfermline defence with Craig Molloy sending a drive just wide of the target in the 17th minute and three minutes later there was superb wing play from Bobby Barr who beat a couple of defenders before cutting inside and then beating another defender before sending a right-foot drive inches past.

City continued to press, and they grabbed the opener in the 24th minute with a great move.

McNeil picked up the ball wide on the right and passed inside to Masson who immediately played in Andy Jackson who sent a superb ball through to Trouten who had time and space to pick his spot in the net.

The visitors barely had time to reorganise before they found themselves 2-0 down with Masson again in the thick of the action. Jamie picked up a throw-in from McNeil and pushed forward before dragging the ball across the penalty area and firing in a shot which Ryan Scully in the Dunfermline goal got a hand to but couldn't hold and Trouten was right on the spot to blast the ball into the net.

City continued to try and press home their numerical advantage and Barr again proved just how vital a player he is for City when another piece of magic on the left wing saw him pass the ball across the face of the penalty area for Masson who immediately crossed into the box for Jackson whose header came off a defender and went out for a corner.

City started the second-half as they finished the first with Masson picking up the ball wide on the left and flighting a good cross into the box for Jackson who shot just wide.

Dunfermline replaced winger Allan Smith with Faisal El Bakhtaoui in the 53rd minute and the midfielder was soon in the thick of the action when he broke free and fired in a shot which was well wide of the target.

City responded immediately, with the ball being played wide on the left to McNeil on the right edge of the penalty area whose shot took a deflection for a corner.

City however wrapped up the points a couple of minutes later when they scored their third and decisive goal.

Barr picked up the ball wide on the left and did really well to push forward to the bye-line before cutting the ball back into the box for Jackson who took a couple of touches before firing the ball into the roof of the net.

Despite being three goals down the Pars continued to push forward and El Bakhtaoui was unlucky to see his shot on the turn hit the base of the post before being cleared and the Pars had little luck again in the 76th minute when an Andy Geggan shot looked netbound only for Graeme Smith to bring off a spectacular save to turn the ball around the post.

The keeper was in action again with six minutes remaining when he turned an El Bakhtaoui shot round the post for a corner. However, the final action of the match came at the other end in the final minute when City sub Calum Tapping shot just over.