BRECHIN CITY V STENHOUSEMUIR MATCH PREVIEW.


City will go into tomorrow afternoon’s match against Stenhousemuir in a confident frame of mind after their 3-0 victory over Stranraer last weekend.

Two goals from the league’s joint top-scorer Andy Jackson and a goal from David McKenna wrapped up the points in Ray McKinnon’s first game in charge and the new boss will be looking for more of the same as they attempt to beat the Warriors for the first time this season.

The first game between the sides, a Scottish Communities League Cup-tie on 4th August ended in a comfortable 4-0 victory for the hosts.

City never really recovered from losing a goal within the first minute when a tremendous 30 yard strike from John Gemmell put the Warriors one up and three further goals late in the second-half from Darren Smith (2) and Stewart Kean sealed City’s fate.

The second game between the sides a couple of weeks later again ended with the hosts coming out on top, but City can feel rightly aggrieved about the outcome. That man Gemmell headed the Warriors in front in the 21st minute, but City fought back well and deservedly equalised through Andy Jackson early in the second-half. The visitors then dominated proceedings but their hopes of pulling off a victory were killed stone dead late on in the half when Gemmell thundered home two tremendous free-kicks to give his side a victory they had never looked like achieving.

City will be looking to reverse the trend tomorrow and will be looking to build upon last Saturday’s excellent result. However, Stenny will also be looking to collect three points to keep up their challenge at the top end of the table and they will be also be in a confident frame of mind after holding league leaders Queen of the South to a 2-2 draw at Palmerston, so an exciting contest looks to be on the cards.

City boss Ray McKinnon has no injury worries and will have a full squad from which to choose his team. Young midfielder Ryan Stewart who picked up a bad injury against Forfar in mid- September was back in training this week and is included in the squad.

The Warriors will be without former City defender Scot Buist.

The Match referee tomorrow will be 31 year old Steven McLean who will be refereeing City for the first time this season. According to the statistics, Mr McLean has refereed nine games this season booking 41 players and sending one player off.. The last time he refereed Brechin, was last season on 14th April (Airdrie United 4 Brechin City 1) when he booked Gerry McGlauchlan and Paul McManus along with the Diamond’s Nathan Blockley. A qualified physiotherapist, he also works part-time at the SFA as a Referee Recruitment and Education Manager. His assistants tomorrow will be Michael Banks and Willie Ferguson.

Tomorrow’s Match Sponsor is Ian Jardine while the Match Ball will be sponsored by Ken and Marlene Magson.