Match Report - By John Hoey

Queens Park 2 Brechin City 0

An under-strength Brechin City side went down to their third successive defeat with Queens Park winning by 2-0 at Hampden Park.

The Spiders grabbed the lead from the penalty-spot with Ross Millen converting six minutes before half-time with a further goal from Ryan McGeever in the 74th minute wrapping up the points for Gus McPherson's side.

Brechin City boss Darren Dods made no changes to the side that went down narrowly to Ayr United in Tuesday night's third round Scottish Cup tie. Ally Love who had taken a heavy knock in that match and who had been in the doubtful category right up until kick-off was in his usual place while Andy Jackson, Alan Trouten and Finn Graham who have all been out of action recently found places on the subs bench.

City had a half-chance within the first couple of minutes when Ally Love collected a pass from Robbie Buchanan and pushed forward before firing in a shot from around 25 yards which was well wide of the target. Queens hit back four minutes later when Dario Zanatta chased a long ball into the City box but Dougie Hill managed to get there first and steered the ball back to Graeme Smith.

A good pass from Sean Burns sent Zanatta away four minutes later and this time he got the better of Hill and rounded him at the left edge of the box before firing in a shot which was smothered by Smith.

Buchanan then did well to dispossess Adam Cummins on the left touch line before driving forward and trying a shot from 25 yards which was blocked by the home defence with the ball breaking for Aron Lynas whose drive was saved by Willism Muir in the Spiders goal.

Ross Millen then broke down the right for the hosts and delivered a good cross into the City box which was just beyond Zanatta and the striker came close again seconds later when he chased another long ball into the City penalty area, but Euan Smith got there first and passed back to Smith who cleared the ball upfield.

City then moved into attack when Ross Caldwell picked up the ball wide on the touchline and pushed forward into the home penalty area but he was crowded out by the Queens defence before he could get a shot in. Queens then won a free-kick midway in the City half with Jamie McGivern fighting a good ball into the box which was just beyond Zanatta and seconds later the Canadian forward blasted a drive just over the bar.

Queens pushed forward again and they grabbed the opening goal in the 39th minute.

Zanatta who was proving to be a real handful for the City defence chased another long ball into the City danger area and as he was in the process of shooting he appeared to be impeded by Smith. Referee Mike Roncone immediately pointed to the penalty-spot waving aside the City keeper's protests with Queens top scorer Ross Millen then stepping up to convert the spot-kick.

Both sides pushed forward at the beginning of the second-half but the first opportunity albeit it was only a half-chance fell for Love in the 56th minute when he steered a shot wide from the edge of the box and seconds later, the striker was replaced by Alan Trouten making his first appearance for a number of weeks and City boss Darren Dods made his second substitution of the match seven minutes later with Finn Graham replacing Gary Fusco.

Play then continued to be mostly confined to the midfield area with neither side appearing to have a cutting edge in the final third and in an effort to change things round, manager Dods made his final substitution of the match in the 70th minute with Andy Jackson coming on for Ross Caldwell. The manager was obviously hoping the change would add a bit of firepower to the attack but it was the Spiders who regained the initiative with a second goal four minutes later when Zanatta flighted in a corner from the right with Ryan McGeever rising above the City defence to power a header past Smith.

City tried to hit back and they were desperately unlucky not to narrow the deficit in the 79th minute when Jackson collected the ball in the box after a neat City move only to see his shot come back off the base of the post with Muir helpless.

Play then swung to the other end with McGeever firing in a free-kick from the edge of the box which Smith held.

City tried hard to reduce the deficit in the closing stages but Queens held in for a vital three points.

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