Match Report - By John Hoey

Stenhousemuir 1 Brechin City 1

Brechin City collected the point they needed and will now face Raith Rovers in the Scottish Championship semi-final first leg play-off at Glebe Park this coming Wednesday night following the 1-1 draw with Stenhousemuir at Ochilview, a result which saw the Warriors relegated to League Two.

City got off to the perfect start with Alan Trouten converting from the penalty-spot after just five minutes after Ally Love had been brought down in the box by Stenny defender Mason Robertson and the visitors totally dominated the remainder of the half and could have added to their tally on a couple of occasions.

It was a different story however, after the break with the Warriors putting a lot of pressure on the City defence and they got their reward in the 62nd minute when Olly Shaw headed home the equaliser. The hosts then threw everything at the visitors defence but City held on for a deserved point and a place in the play-offs.

City started brightly and they grabbed the lead from the penalty-spot after just five minutes. Andy Jackson collected the ball wide on the right and played a superb diagonal pass behind the home defence to Ally Love who looked set to score but he was brought down in the box by Robertson with Trouten stepping up to slot home the perfect spot-kick giving Stenny keeper Graham Bowman no chance.

The Warriors hit back straight away and City keeper Graeme Smith did well to block a dangerous cross from Willis Furtado.

Jackson then played another great cross across the face of the Stenny penalty-box for Love who fired in a blistering left-foot drive which was just scrambled away by the home defence. Love really seemed to be in the mood and in a great move shortly afterwards he took on and beat a couple of Stenny defenders before slotting the ball agonisingly inches last the far post.

Stenny then hit back and forced two corners in quick succession with Kieran Millar heading the second one just over the bar.

City then had to make a substitution with Eliot Ford coming on for Trouten who appeared to have suffered a groin strain. The visitors continued in the ascendency and another great run from Love saw him race to the bye-line and cut the ball back into the penalty area for Jackson who glanced a header just wide of the post.

City continued to press and the last chance of the half fell to them four minutes before half-time when Liam Watt tried a shot from 20 yards but it lacked pace and power and Bowman saved easily.

The Warriors showed their intentions straight away at the beginning of the second-half with Shaw firing a 30 yard free-kick high over the bar and seconds later Carlos Mazana drilled a low drive past Smith's right-hand post.

In the 54th minute, Furtado tried a speculative first-time shot from 25 yards but it was high and wide of the target. However, the home side made the vital breakthrough eight minutes later when Shaw steered a great header from the middle of the penalty-box beyond the reach of Smith and six minutes later, the same player had another opportunity when he was given time and space in the box to execute an overhead kick which went just over the bar.

It was nearly all Stenny, but City relieved the pressure in the 72nd minute with a great three man move between Willie Dyer, Watt and Jackson which ended with 'Jacko' firing in a shot which was just wide of the target and with one minute of the match remaining, Jackson raced clear and fired in a shot which was tipped round the post by Bowman.

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