Match Report - By John Hoey

Brechin City 0 Raith Rovers 2

With regular keeper Graeme Smith still on holiday and understudy Paddy O'Neil having work commitments in London, City called in trialist keeper Jordan Bell with former keeper Ben Tough on the bench. Dougie Hill also came into the side in place of Willie Dyer who is on holiday.

Raith had the better of the opening exchanges and they had an early opportunity in the seventh minute when Jason Thomson broke down the right and passed across the 18 yard box for Lewis Vaughan whose first time shot was past the post.

The visitors had another chance four minutes later when Elliot Brown was short with a pass-back which was pounced on by Vaughan but he steered his shot wide of the target.

In the 22nd minute, some excellent build-up play between Ross Callaghan and Bobby Barr ended with the former City winger blasting a right-foot drive over the bar with City responding just seconds later when Paul McLean headed an Ally Love free-kick just past the post.

City had an even better opportunity seven minutes later when a Finn Graham corner fell nicely for Alan Trouten who dribbled past a defender before having the ball whipped from his feet just as he was about to shoot.

A good chance then went abegging for the visitors in the 34th minute when Vaughan brilliantly controlled a cross from the right but then fired past Bell's right-hand post but Raith has better luck just seconds later when Chris Johnston collected a cross from the left and fired a shot past Bell.

The last opportunity of the half came City's way eight minutes before the break when a Graham drive from the edge of the box was well over.

It was City who were in the driving seat in the early exchanges after the break and Caldwell fired over the bar three minutes into the half.

City were then denied strong claims for a penalty five minutes later when a great pass from substitute Andy Jackson found Chris O'Neil at the right edge of the Rovers box but when he tried to push forward he was brought down by Kyle Benedictus with the referee ignoring the City player's claim for a spot-kick.

Despite City's territorial advantage at this stage, the visitors came very close to adding to their one goal lead in the 65th minute when the ball was played out wide on the left to Vaughan who crossed quickly into the box for Ross Callaghan who glanced a header just inches past the left-hand post.

City though kept pushing forward and a great diagonal pass from Jamie Montgomery found Jackson whose deep cross into the Rovers box was cleared away.

Play then swung to the other end and in the 68th minute Vaughan fired a shot just over the bar. The striker had better luck though ten minutes later when he sealed victory for his side.

Callaghan picked up the ball on the ,eft and floated a good cross into the box for Vaughan who deftly glanced a header past City's sub keeper Ben Tough.