Brechin City
0
Livingston
3
Match Report - By Grant Hood
BRECHIN CITY 0-3 LIVINGSTON
Eleven games into the League One campaign and - quite amazingly - the occupant of the top spot has already changed 9 times.
Sadly for Brechin City fans though, a thoroughly dominant display from Livingston saw the visitors knock the Glebe Park side off their lofty perch and regain the title race ascendancy with a competent 3-0 victory over their hosts.
Three second half goals were too much for a Brechin City side which failed to create any significant or prolonged goal threat, allowing their full-time opponents to see the match out in an altogether more comfortable manner than their fans may have dared hope prior to setting out on their trip to Angus.
Prior to the match, and with the City players wearing black armbands, players and supporters of both sides participated in a minutes applause to acknowledge the news earlier in the week of the untimely passing of former City player Brian Reid.
The home side made one change to the side which had regained the league’s top spot the previous weekend, with Elliot Ford replacing Paul McLean – the skipper not yet fully recovered from a late knock in the victory at Stenhousemuir.
Shooting towards the Cemetery End in the first half for the first time this season, the game itself started with Livingston very much on the front foot, forcing a series of early corners and free-kicks. Chances came and went for De Vita, Mullen, Lithgow and Buchanan – the most concerning of which was a vicious drive from Raffaele De Vita which Smith in the City goal did well to turn over the crossbar.
City were limited to only sporadic visits to the Livi penalty area, with Ally Love’s workrate and creativity down the left flank being the only cause for concern for the visitors. ‘Buzz’ in the City goal, produced his second outstanding save of the match after 30 minutes diverting with his foot a low drive from Liam Buchanan after the striker had created a one-on-one shooting chance.
As the game ebbed towards half-time, City carried slightly more threat due to a more even distribution of territorial possession. However, the only attempts at goal were a blocked effort from Ally Love following a neat passing exchange between James Dale and Elliot Ford and a 25-yard effort from James Dale himself which failed to find the target.
A half-time substitution saw the visitors change their shape from 3 to 4 at the back. Any thoughts harboured by the City fans that the home side would change the pattern of events in the second half sadly disappeared, as the ebb of the game mirrored that of the first half.
Whilst initially matching Livi’s workrate – if not their effectiveness – City remained largely reliant on goalkeeper ‘Buzz’ who continued to thwart the visitors with a plethora of fine saves.
However, when the game’s pivotal moment arrived it was supremely cruel on the City shot-stopper. A long throw-in found its way to Livi live-wire Liam Buchanan. His initial disappointment at not fully connecting with his shot would have been quickly followed by disbelief and then joy as his low scuffed effort saw ‘Buzz’ momentarily lose his footing – this slip preventing the wrong-footed keeper from re-adjusting his feet. Anguish ensued for everyone of a Glebe Park persuasion as players and fans could only watch as the ball trundled its way over the line to break the deadlock. Whilst no-one could genuinely grudge Livi their opener, the manner in which it materialised was jaw-droppingly hard to take.
Any thoughts of an immediate home riposte quickly perished when City conceded an altogether more avoidable goal only 3 minutes later. A sequence of poor defending on Brechin’s right , allied to some slick Livi passing, suddenly saw full-back Jackson Longridge (brother of Beau – remember him?) in splendid isolation inside the penalty area with a glorious opportunity to slip the ball under the onrushing City keeper. He did.
Of perhaps greatest concern to The Glebe Park coaching team was how City, 2 goals down with 20 minutes to go, failed to roar at the Livi Lions and somewhat meekly faded further out of the game. Further chances came and went for the visitors, with more significant workload for ‘Buzz’ – and Dougie Hill well placed to calmly walk a goalbound effort away from the goal-line. Oh, for Dougie to have been so handily placed to do exactly that when ‘Buzz’ slipped for the first goal. The game’s final goal came from substitute Shaun Byrne in the closing stages who had the easiest of tasks after yet another save from ‘Buzz’, this time from a Dale Carrick effort, fell kindly for him.
Despite the freakish nature around the concession of the opening goal, City’s goalkeeper deservedly picked up the sponsors’ Man of the Match accolade. Livi proved to be by far the better side on the day, and whilst now only 2 points ahead of City at the top of the table, this result – and performance – gives the Glebe Park players and Management Team much to ponder in advance of 2 arduous away games against unyielding opponents in the form of Peterhead and Airdrieonians.
Other Results - Ladbrokes League One
Alloa Athletic 0 Albion Rovers 0
Goal-less draw at The Indodrill as play-off rivals falter
East Fife 0 Airdrieonians 1
10-a-side finish as Diamonds claim the points at New Bayview
Peterhead 2 Stranraer 0
Red Card woe for Willie Gibson in dissent double as Blue Toon win the Battle of the Blues
Queen's Park 0 Stenhousemuir 3
Comfortable win for The Warriors closes the gap on The Spiders