Match Report - By Steven Mew

HARD lines, hard luck, no breaks, a stonewall penalty claim that saw a six-foot centre back used as a peg for the goal-nets – just another Brechin City game then!

Perhaps since Falkirk have failed to win any of their last 11 league fixtures at this stadium and have lost on nine of those occasions, Brechin may have given themselves something to believe in and fight for. Had they converted the chances they created, especially when the status quo was maintained in the first half, it could have been City in the hat rather than their supposedly more illustrious hosts.

For an SPL side there was a continiuning nevousness about the home side’s performance. Despite Alan Gow’s two opportunist strikes, at no time did the Bairns look sure of themselves.

Russell Latapy apart, no-one in the home side was willing to put his foot on the ball and even Latapy, so often previously the single-handed destroyer of Brechin had the shackles put on him to a certain extent by the hard-working Grant Johnson.

Indeed, just about everything Falkirk did was rushed, and that included snatching at openings. Danny McBreen should have put them ahead after 18 minutes but dragged his 12-yard shot shot wide with only Craig Nelson to beat.

Brechin should have been awarded a penalty when Craig Ireland blatantly took Scott Walker out of the play amd into the back of the net as the defender attempted to connect with Stuart Callaghan’s cross but referee Tumilty ignored their claims. Hard luck story or not, in this season when penalty incidents seem to go against your club week after week, this was the worst of the lot.

Then Steven Hampshire, attempting placement rather than power, sidefooted inches wide of Allan Ferguson’s right-hand post . City at this stage were passing the ball better than the home side. But after Charlie King perhaps shot and tested goalkeeper, Ferguson from too much of a distance, the game took a turn for the worse from City’s perspective.
The Falkirk support were well and truly on their team’s backs and that of manager John Hughes when Alan Gow opened the scoring. He played a smart one-two with McBreen, held off Alex Burns and forced Nelson to commit himself before pulling the trigger from close in.

City continued to press and probe and created more than their hosts in the seond period. A deserved leveller arrived when a poor clearance fell to Ally Mitchell and, although his shot from just inside the penalty area was going wide, Charles King stooped to head home at the far post. Had Brechin held on to the draw for another five minutes or so, they would have, at least, got the replay their performance merited.

However, in attempting a quick counter-attack, Stuart Callaghan conceded possession and the heart of the City rearguard inadvertently backed off the advancing Gow who cut in from the right, using McBreen as a decoy before drive a left-foot 25 yarder behind Nelson. Were Brechin dead now, well no.

Gerry Britton and Steven Hampshire had an opportunity to level from a great cross from the left, but both failed to get the agonising final and necessary touch.

Substitute Chris Geddes was fouled 25 yards out and City were presented with another opportunity. However, Alex Burns’ free-kick was evntually blocked by the wall.

Britton was denied by a great save from Ferguson when he looked odds-on to score and City’s final chance fell to Callaghan 30 yards out and the ball landed on his trusty left-peg. However, despite a well-struck volley which sailed past the goalkeeper, the ball sailed agoninsingly past the post and with it City’s last chance of making the fourth round.

Once again however, Brechin showed that if Ian Campbell can bring in three or four players in the window their season, unlike many clubs at this stage of the season, is far from over.

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Dundee United 2 Aberdeen 3

Aberdeen perform an excellent comeback from 2-0 down.

Dunfermline Athletic 3 Airdrie United 4

Airdrie Utd shock the Pars at East End Park with two late, late goals to win the match.

Falkirk 1 Brechin City 2

...

Hearts 2 Kilmarnock 1

Hearts edge out fellow SPL side Kilmarnock.

Hibernian 6 Arbroath 0

Arbroath hammered by high flying Hibs.

Inverness Caledonian Thistle 1 Ayr United 1

Ayr hold Inverness to a draw at the Caledonian Stadium.

Queen of the South 1 Hamilton Academical 1

Fellow 1st division sides Queens and Hamilton settle for a draw.

Rangers 5 Peterhead 0

Comfortable home victory for Rangers.

Ross County 5 Forfar Athletic 0

Forfar struggle against higher opposition.

St Johnstone 0 Gretna 1

Saints humbled at home by Gretna.

St Mirren 3 Motherwell 0

Impressive victory for St Mirren against SPL outfit Motherwell.

Stirling Albion 0 Partick Thistle 1

Paul Ritchie nets his first goal for Thistle as they go into the next round.