Dunfermline Athletic - Brechin City Match Preview

Brechin City open their 2014/15 league campaign with a trip to East End Park to face the bookmakers title favourites - Dunfermline Athletic.

City will make the trip to Fife in good heart after two excellent performances against Cowdenbeath and Dumbarton. Against the latter team, City of course, did not get the result that their efforts merited but the most important aspect was the quality of their performance, particularly in the closing stages of the game when they were really unfortunate not to score after periods of sustained pressure.

Manager Ray McKinnon is again likely to be without centre-back Darren McCormack who is suffering from a hamstring strain, (the manager rating him as doubtful), while trialist Ross Brash who came on as a substitute in the Cowdenbeath game has left the club, but everyone else it fit and raring to go against the Pars.

Ray watched Dunfermline beat Raith Rovers by 1-0 at East End Park on Tuesday night in the re-arranged first round Petrofac Training Cup tie and was impressed by what he saw.

" I was really impressed with Dunfermline on Tuesday night," he said.

" They dominated the game from start to finish, they have some really good players, and they have a very, very strong squad so we know what we'll be up against on Saturday."

" Having said that however, we have been playing really well ourselves. We didn't get the result against Dumbarton, but as in the previous game I was really delighted with the players' fitness levels and the way in which they kept their shape, and we played some really good football in both games."

" We know that we'll go to East End Park as underdogs, but we'll approach the game the way we approach all games - we'll be looking to win it despite the fact that we know it'll be very tough."

Last season's games between the sides ended 2-1 in Dunfermline's favour with one match drawn.

The first match between the sides at Glebe Park ended all square with City striker Robert Thomson opening the scoring for the Pars six minutes before the break with Andy Jackson equalising for City fourteen minutes from the end.

In the return match at East End Park on 23rd November, the score-line was 3-1 in the hosts' favour. Ryan Wallace notched the opener after just three minutes with a Ewan Moyes own-goal making it 2-0 shortly afterwards. City's plight in that game was made all the more difficult with Stuart Anderson's sending-off for a foul on Wallace after 59 minutes and although Paul McLean pulled a goal back for City with ten minutes remaining Wallace restored the Pars two-goal advantage four minutes later.

On the 25th January, City produced one of their best performances of the season to defeat the Fifers by 3-2 at Glebe Park. Goals from Lawrence Shankland and Ryan Wallace had given the visitors what appeared to be an unassailable 2-0 lead but City got themselves right back into the game with Derek Carcary and Andy Jackson hitting the target and a blistering shot from the edge of the box in the final minute by Darren Petrie secured a memorable victory.

In the final encounter between the sides at East End Park on Saturday 29th March, City went down by 2-1. After a goal-less first-half Lawrence Shankland scored the opener for the Pars three minutes into the second-half. Robert Thomson equalised for City on the hour mark and that's the way the game looked to be heading until the very last minute when a Ross Millen penalty sealed the win for Dunfermline.

The referee for tomorrow is Euan Anderson who was the man in the middle for three of City's games last season - the 2-1 home win against Forfar and the away defeats at Airdrie and Stenhousemuir. Over the course of those three games, Mr Anderson issued no fewer than twelve yellow cards.

As usual, the Brechin City Supporters Club will be running a bus for tomorrow's game which leaves St Ninians Square at 11.00am. Further details can be obtained from Steven Stewart (Telephone 07547552209)

For those travelling by car, the post code for satellite navigation systems is - KY12 7RB. There is adequate parking at the club's official car park which is situated behind the East Stand. (Cost - £2)

Admission Prices are £15 for adults. £10 concessions (over 60 s and under 18's) and £5 (Under 12's). City supporters will be housed in the South-East section of the main stand with entry at turnstiles J and K.

Charlie D's Bar, situated just to the left of those turnstiles will be open to visiting supporters for alcoholic beverages, snacks and refreshments from 12pm onwards.