Brechin City
4
Cove Rangers
1
Match Report - By John Hoey
Brechin City 4 Cove Rangers 1
Brechin City will go into the hat for the third round of the Irn Bru Cup after beating Cove Rangers by 4-1 at Glebe Park.
Despite the margin of victory, City had to fight really hard to dispose of the plucky Highland League side who battled throughout the ninety minutes.
John Sheran's team got off to a great start when they grabbed the lead with less than two minutes on the clock.
Ryan Stott swung over a perfect corner and Harry Milne rose above the home defence to bullet a header past Graeme Smith.
This goal stung City into a reaction and they levelled the match in the 15th minute when Elliot Ford crossed into the box for Andy Jackson who tapped it back to Finn Graham who fired home from the edge of the box and City notched another goal ten minutes before the break when the ball rebounded from the visitors defence into the path of Jackson who slotted it home from close-range.
The visitors really pressurised the City defence early in the second-half as they fought for the equaliser but the home side scored the decisive third goal in the 59th minute when James Dale sent a long pass onto Ross Caldwell who kept his cool before lobbing Cove keeper Stuart McKenzie. The Cove players were adamant that the ex Ayr United striker was well offside but despite their protests, the goal was allowed to stand.
Despite being two goals down Cove again pushed forward in an effort to reduce the deficit but it was City who scored the final goal right at the death when Jackson fired home from 25 yards.