Brechin City - Ayr United Match Preview

Brechin City manager Ray McKinnon has no injury worries ahead of tomorrow's League One encounter against Ayr United and the players who came away from Station Park last Saturday with a deserved 2-0 victory would look odds on to start the match against the Honest Men minus of course Jamie Masson who scored the opener against the Loons and who has now returned to parent club Aberdeen. Club Captain Craig Molloy and fellow midfielders Greg Cameron and Ryan Ferguson would all look to be likely replacements for Jamie but the manager will keep his options close to his chest until just before kick-off.

There have been no further developments regarding Kyle McAusland with City still keen to add the midfielder to their squad but it looks as if things will be on hold until Kyle and parent club Rangers come to a settlement regarding his contract.

New Ayr manager Ian McCall certainly doesn't have his problems to seek as he attempts to move Ayr away from the bottom half of the table. He will be without the suspended Paul Slane while centre-back Martyn Campbell fellow defender Peter Murphy and midfielder Brian Gilmour are also ruled out through injury. In addition, striker Craig Beattie is regarded as doubtful.

Tomorrow's match will be the third time this season that City and Ayr have crossed swords with the honours even so far. In the first meeting between the sides at Glebe Park in October, Ayr came out on top by 4-2. Alan Trouten had fired City in front three minutes into the second-half only for the visitors to draw level from the penalty-spot four minutes later with Scott McLaughlin converting. City then regained the advantage with a superb Jamie Masson strike before they were reduced to ten men with midfielder Greg Cameron who had previously been booked being given his marching orders for lunging into Ayr striker Dale Shirkie. The visitors then pressed home their numerical advantage and equalised for the second time, with former Dundee and Celtic striker Craig Beattie on the mark. This goal spurred the Honest Men on and they wrapped up victory in the final four minutes with McGlaughlin converting again from the penalty-spot after a Darren McCormack handball and Beattie completing his brace in the final minute.

There was a reversal in fortunes at Somerset Park the following month with this time City deservedly coming out on top by 2-0. Both goals came in an opening 45 minutes which City dominated with Robert Thomson grabbing the opener after only eight minutes when he intercepted a poor pass-back from Ayr defender Martyn Campbell to steer the ball past David Hutton in the home goal and former Ayr player Kyle McAusland making it 2-0 after 26 minutes when he fired home a great drive after Andy Jackson had created the opening for him. City continued to dominate after the break but couldn't add to their tally.

Victory for City tomorrow would see them extend their unbeaten run to twelve matches and could also conceivably see them move up to third place in the table if Dunfermline and Morton lose at Stirling Albion and Stenhouseumuir respectively but the players will be putting that possible statistic firmly at the back of their minds as all of their thoughts will be focussed on a home victory and not what's happening elsewhere.

City will certainly start the game as firm favourites but the players will be acutely aware that the appointment of former Dundee United boss Ian McCall will give the Ayr players a lift and they will be doing all that they can to impress their new boss and leave Glebe Park with three points for the second time this season.

The referee for tomorrow's fixture is Aberdeenshire Primary School Head Teacher Mat Northcroft who will be handling his second City game of the season, the first game being the 2-1 home victory over Stirling Albion in November.

Match Sponsor is Mrs Margaret Will with Ian Jardine sponsoring the Match Ball.

Admission Prices are :-

Adults - £12
Parent & Child - £15 (With £2 admission for every additional school age child in the party)
Concessions - (Over 65 and Under 18) - £6

Other Matches Scottish League One

Airdrieonians v Peterhead
Stenhousemuir v Morton
Stirling Albion v Dunfermline Athletic
Stranraer v Forfar Athletic