Brechin City completed their pre-season preparations with a narrow but in the end deserved 1-0 victory over Spartans at Ainslie Park.

The only goal of the game came in the 80th minute when Cammie Ross converted from the penalty spot after Marc Scott had been fouled in the box. There will be no doubt manager Andy Kirk will be pleased that his side went away with a victory after an evenly balanced and closely-fought encounter against the Edinburgh side.

The first-half was very much a non-event in terms of scoring opportunities with neither keeper having a save to make. Although City were a shade unfortunate not to have been awarded a penalty after Scott had been fouled in the box after 19 minutes with the referee waving away City claims but the remainder of the opening 45 minutes was only notable for the lack of goal-scoring chances at both ends.

City started on the front foot after the break and Scott came close with an angular drive two minutes in and shortly afterwards Jamie Bain sent a free-kick over the bar from 20 yards. Cammie Ross fired a further free-kick over the bar from virtually the same spot five minutes later.

Spartans threatened in the 55th minute when Michael Allan pushed forward into the City box but the Trialist keeper came quickly off his line to avert the danger.

City made their first substitution of the match a couple of minutes later when Ewan Loudon replaced Jordan Northcott.

Kevin McHattie fired a 20 yard drive past the post in the 69th minute with Fraser McLeod replacing Iain Davidson a couple of minutes later. Shortly afterwards City boss Andy Kirk replaced Euan Spark and Grady McGrath with Nathan Cooney and a trialist.

With fresh legs on in the summer heat, City began to exert more pressure on the home defence and their pressure paid off ten minutes from time when Scott weaved his way past a defender before being brought down in the box. The referee immediately pointed to the spot with CAMMIE ROSS stepping up to slot home the penalty.

Spartans weren’t out of it though and Ian McFarland was unlucky to see a shot from the edge of the box come crashing back off the bar but City held on for a deserved victory.

Brechin City: Trialist, Jamie Bain, Kevin McHattie, Iain Davidson (Fraser MacLeod 71), Marc Scott, Seth Patrick, Grady McGrath (Trialist 74), Cammie Ross, Michael Cruickshank, Jordan Northcott (Ewan Loudon 55), Euan Spark(Nathan Cooney 74). Subs not used: Lenny Wilson

Spartans: Carswell, Herd, Allan, Tapping, Waugh, Whyte, Dishington, McFarland, S Brown, Russell, Armstrong. Substitutes: Trialist, Coats, Jones, Swann, Maxwell, Inglis, Woods, Penker, Trialist, Burns, Morrison