Match Report - By John Hoey

Falkirk 2 Brechin City 0

Brechin City's slim hopes of qualifying for the latter stages of the Betfred League Cup came to an end at Falkirk Stadium with the home side winning by 2-0.

Two early second-half goals within four minutes from Luca Gasparotto and Nathan Austin did the damage and although City tried to hit back there was no doubt that Peter Houston's men deserved to win the match.

Brechin boss Darren Dods made a couple of changes to the side that earned a bonus point against St Johnstone on Tuesday night with Elliot Ford replacing Willie Dyer at left-back and Alan Trouten coming in for Ross Caldwell.

City started the game with Graeme Smith in goal and a back five of Chris O'Neil, Gareth Rodger, Dougie Hill, Darren McCormack and Elliot Ford with Andy Jackson and Alan Trouten playing wide and James Dale and Finn Graham in the central midfield positions with Ally Love up front.

Falkirk went on the attack straight from the kick-off with Robert McHugh heading a James Craigen free-kick over the bar within the first thirty seconds.

The hosts came close again in the 4th minute when a good ball was played through to McHugh deep in the City box but his shot was blocked by Gareth Rodger.

Good build-up play again from the Bairns four minutes later ended with a Nathan Austin shot being deflected for a corner.

City's first real attacking move didn't come until the 18th minute when Elliot Ford made ground wide on the left but his final pass into the home penalty-box was poor and just beyond Ally Love who was in good position.

Falkirk were having plenty of possession but they were finding the visitors defence in an uncompromising frame of mind with Graeme Smith in the City goal having very little to do.

The Bairns continued to press and they won a free-kick around 20 yards from goal in the 20th minute after Craigen had been impeded by James Dale but Luke Leahy's shot was straight at Smith who gathered easily.

City then had to make a change nine minutes before the break with Euan Smith replacing Darren McCormack who had picked up an injury and within seconds of that substitution, City came very close to grabbing the opener when the ball fell kindly for Rodger on the right edge of the Falkirk box with the defender's right-foot drive being tipped round the post by Danny Rogers.

However, the best chance of the half came the Bairns way deep into injury-time when a Leahey cross from the left was headed wide of the target by Paul Watson with the goal at his mercy.

The home side grabbed the initiative right at the start of the second-half just as they had done at the beginning of the opening period and Smith had to look sharp to tip a McHugh header over the bar in the 49th minute. The keeper was helpless though seconds later when the Bairns grabbed the lead with a close-range Luca Gasparotto effort and it was 2-0 just four minutes later when Austin headed a cross from the left into the bottom corner of the net.

The hosts kept up the pressure and a Craigen pile-driver on the hour mark was well over the bar.

City had a half-chance in the 68th minute when substitute Ross Caldwell looked to be clean through in the Falkirk goal but the ball was whipped from his feet at the last minute by Watson and a couple of minutes later, Trouten broke free of the home defence but he overran the ball and the opportunity was lost.

Despite the fact that the game appeared to be slipping out of their reach, City were trying to take the match to their opponents with a Caldwell effort skimming the bar with ten minutes remaining and the same player came close again a couple of minutes later when his low drive was deflected for a corner by the home defence.

The last goal-scoring opportunity of the match came the Bairns way with a minute remaining when Smith did well to block a Tom Taiwo shot