Match Report - By John Hoey

Brechin City have been promoted to the Scottish Championship after a 5-4 penalties victory over Alloa Athletic. The match ended at 4-3 in the Wasps favour at the end of the regulation ninety minutes and that was still the score-line at the end of extra-time but City's 1-0 victory at Glebe Park on Wednesday night meant that the tie had to be decided on penalties with James Dale scoring the decisive spot-kick for City.

It was quite simply a magnificent team effort from City. Every single player played their full part in ensuring that the team return to the second top tier of football in Scotland after an eleven year absence.

The scenes of jubilation at the end of what must have been a gruelling effort from the players of both sides was remarkable. City supporters, players and officials celebrated a quite stunning achievement and all of the players were given a rapturous reception from an absolutely jubilant and overjoyed support.

In what was a quite exceptional encounter, James Dale had given City the lead with a stunning strike after 34 minutes but Greig Spence levelled from the penalty-spot for the hosts a couple of minutes later and added a second goal five minutes before half-time to tie the match on aggregate. Skipper Paul McLean powered home a header nine minutes into the second-half to tip the advantage once again in the visitors favour bit Spence completed his hat-trick in the 74th minute to level the aggregate score. A wonderful chip from Liam Watt in the 78th minute swung the match City's way once again but a rifling shot from Dylan Macklin a minute later made it 4-3 to the hosts on the day and 4-4 on aggregate.

A thirty minute period of extra time saw the sides still level which meant that the tie had to be decided on penalties.

Scott Taggart, Jordan Kirkpartick, Andrew Graham and Calum Waters all scored for the Wasps while keeper Graeme Smith continued his heroics from last weekend to save the spot-kick from Spence.

Willie Dyer, Dougie Hill, Alan Trouten and Ally Love all scored for City with Neil Parry bringing off a great save from Andy Jackson and when Iain Flannigan missed the target with the penultimate spot-kick it was left to James Dale to step up and sink the final penalty to clinch promotion for his side amid quite incredible scenes at the end of a tumultuous 120 minutes.

City boss Darren Dods played the same side that had defeated Alloa by 1-0 at Glebe Park on Wednesday night

The visitors had a great chance to take the lead after just four minutes when Elliot Ford and Ross Caldwell combined well at the right edge of the penalty-box but Elliot's cross into the box unfortunately found no takers.

Alloa hit back and Calum Water's cross into the City box three minutes later was just missed by Greig Spence.

Alloa then missed a great chance after ten minutes when Dylan Mackin played a great through ball to Spence but City keeper Graeme Smith was quickly off his line to avert the danger bringing off a great save and seconds later Jordan Kirkpatrick pushed forward from the right edge of the box before blasting a shot high over the bar.

City then moved into the counter-attack with Ford doing exceptionally well to get to the bye-line before playing the ball to Caldwell who played it back to Liam Watt who fired in a shot which was well wide of the target.

Alloa then pushed forward with Kevin Cawley showing great skill to cut in from the wing before firing in a shot which was wide of Smith's right-hand post.

Calum Waters then became the first player to go into referee Nick Walsh's book for a foul on Caldwell and a minute later Wasps keeper Neil Parry brought off a great diving save to deny Andy Jackson.

Both sides then shared short periods of pressure but the hosts came close to breaking the deadlock in the 29th minute when Jon Robertson fired in a shot from 25 yards which was just inches past.

However, City dramatically grabbed the lead in the 33rd minute. James Dale played a magnificent pass wide on the left to Ford and was on hand to take the return pass before unleashing a magnificent strike into the top right hand corner of the net.

City's joy was short-lived however, as the Wasps levelled from the penalty-spot three minutes later. Paul McLean was adjudged by the referee to have handled the ball in the box and Spence then stepped up to blast a perfect spot-kick past Smith and worse was to follow for City when Alloa grabbed the advantage and levelled the tie on aggregate five minute before the break.

Waters collected the ball wide on the right and pushed forward before delivering a great cross into the box for Spence who powered a header past Smith.

City then found themselves under a period of sustained home pressure but they created a decent opportunity a minute before the break when Caldwell cut in from the left and squared the ball across the face of the goal but unfortunately there were again no takers.

City made a two changes at the beginning of the second-half with Dougie Hill and Alan Trouten replacing Ross Caldwell and Elliot Ford.

The visitors started the second-half brightly and Watt delivered a good ball into the penalty-area for Jackson but Parry had read the situation well and was quickly off his line to grab the ball at 'Jacko's' feet.

However, City grabbed the initiative and scored the equaliser in the 54th minute.

Watt delivered an inch-perfect corner from the right and skipper Paul McLean rose above the home defence to head the ball past Parry.

City then won a free-kick at the edge of the box after Trouten had been impeded but Watt fired the kick high over the crossbar.

Alloa then made their first substitution of the match in the 65th minute with Stefan McCluskey coming on for Kevin Cawley and in the 68th minute the hosts came close to grabbing the lead for the second time when skipper Andrew Graham headed a free-kick from Waters just wide of the post. Home manager Jim Goodwin then made his second substitution of the match with Graeme Holmes coming on for Jon Robertson.

The next goal was obviously going to be crucial and it came in the 73rd minute for the hosts when Spence completed his hat-trick with a spectacular overhead kick to give his side the advantage and level the tie on aggregate.

However, City stormed back four minutes later when Trouten, Graham and Watt combined brilliantly for the ex Livingston midfielder to slot the ball past Parry into the top corner of the net via the underside of the bar. City's joy however, was again short-lived as the Wasps immediately went upfield to grab the lead. Taggart made ground on the right and crossed into the box for Mackin who headed strongly last Smith.

This incredible match was swinging from end to end and Alloa came close again with four minutes remaining when Waters flighted in a free-kick straight to the head of Frank McKeown but Smith was equal to the task and gathered safely.

Back came City and Jackson did really well to hold up the ball at the left edge of the box before laying it back for Love who blasted it well wide of the target.

Both sides were pushing forward in an effort to grab what would be the decisive goal but at the end of the ninety minutes both teams were level on aggregate with extra-time beckoning.

Alloa had the first half-chance in the first period of extra-time when Kirkpatrick picked up the ball around 30 yards from goal and quickly fired in a shot but Smith saved easily and the keeper came to City's rescue again in the 96th minute when he did brilliantly well to block a shot from the same player.

City came back again and Jackson held the ball up before releasing Love wide on the left but when the cross came into the box no City players were on hand.

City kept pushing forward and McLean was unlucky to see his header from a Watt corner in the 104th minute hit the base of the post and Alloa were equally unlucky a minute later when a Spence shot on the turn was held by Smith

The first opportunity of the second period came the hosts way when the ball fell kindly for Kirkpatrick at the edge of the box but he lashed it wildly when a bit more composure would probably have paid dividends and it was the same story at the other end in the 112th minute when Love fired in a shot just a tad too quickly and with a couple of minutes of extra-time remaining, Watt curled a left-foot shot just wide of Parry's left-hand post.

With the tie level after extra-time both sides had to face a penalty shoot-out for the second week in succession and City once again prevailed with James Dale slotting home the final penalty of the match to give City a fantastic 5-4 penalties win and promotion to next season's Scottish Championship.