Match Report - By Grant Hood

ALBION ROVERS 0-2 BRECHIN CITY

City secured a welcome 3 points with a dominant performance at a venue which has proven troublesome in recent times. A first half penalty from Alan Trouten and an early second half strike from Andy Jackson sees City start the league season with 2 consecutive victories for the first time since 2008/09.

In the game’s first incident of note, City’s former Albion Rovers striker Ally Love was afforded a less than salubrious welcome back to his former employer when, early on, he was on the receiving end of a shuddering mid-air clash with home full-back Alan Reid.

Much of the early action was punctuated with stoppages, as both sides fought hard to gain the upper hand. The first meaningful attempt on goal came on 13 minutes when Ross Davidson forced City keeper Graeme Smith into a comfortable diving save from around 25 yards.

At the other end, Alan Trouten latched on to a misguided defensive header to force a looping header of his own goalwards. Home keeper Ross Stewart did well to divert the ball on to his post and gather the rebound as the ever eager Ally Love was poised to prod the ball home.

City were beginning to find their feet with some composed passing play and an increasing goal threat and, just before the half hour mark, this culminated in the award of a penalty kick. An innocuous scamper for possession between full-backs Kyle Turnbull and Chris O’Neil saw the home full back make an inexplicable lunge, making it an easy decision for referee Greg Aitken to point to the spot. City’s ALAN TROUTEN stepped up to slot the ball home with his customary aplomb.

Brechin City sealed the points four minutes into the second half with a fabulous goal. Trouten took possession from Dougie Hill in his own half, drove forward and after a one-two with Andy Jackson found himself closing in on the home penalty box. He steered the ball wide right to Ally Love who fizzed a low cross to ANDY JACKSON, who had the easiest of opportunities to gleefully side-foot the ball into the net from a couple of yards out.

Although ‘Buzz’ in the City goal was largely untroubled, he did produce 2 crucial saves to ensure the home side were kept at arms’ length. Firstly, after a clearing header from Gareth Rodger went more up than out, home striker Ryan Wallace produced an overhead kick to which ‘Buzz’ got a touch and diverted the ball on to the post. In an ample display of how last season’s defensive robustness has been ameliorated, a combined block from Chris O’Neil and Dougie Hill ensured there was no tap-in for the home side. Moments later, ‘Buzz’ surpassed himself with an even more breathtaking save with mid-air dive to his left to punch clear a 20-yard free kick from Paul Willis which was arrowing towards the top corner.

In the closing stages, City had chances to extend their lead with chances falling to Ally Love, his substitute Ross Caldwell and Alan Trouten. Of perhaps greater significance to the travelling City faithful was the welcome sight of favourites Gary Fusco and captain Paul McLean – both of whom had been sidelined latterly through injury and made late substitute performances.

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