With our Premier Sports Cup group stage now at an end, we get our 2024/25 Highland League campaign underway tomorrow afternoon with a trip to face Keith at Kynoch Park.

Despite failing to register a point in the group stage in the Premier Sports Cup, the matches against strong opposition further up the pyramid has certainly brought Patrick Cregg’s side up to speed for the league season.

City will come up against a Keith side who showed what they are capable of with a 10-game unbeaten run last season and certainly made things tough in the meeting between side the sides in the penultimate fixture, with Kevin McHattie’s solitary strike proving to be the difference.

TEAM NEWS
City will boast a full compliment for tomorrow's match and Manager Patrick Cregg hopes to add another player to his ranks ahead of the game.
 
MANAGERS COMMENTS
Looking back at City's final Premier Sports Cup fixture in midweek, Patrick Cregg commented, "It was a tough game and East Fife were very good on the day so we just have to take our medicine and move on. I was impressed with them and out of the four teams we have played they were probably the most physical - ultimately we have to get to that level.

"From our point of view it was very frustrating to lose the goal early in the second half and game was dead and buried when that went in. However the boys kept giving everything right up until the final minute and that's a good sign and one of the positives to take from the game but obviously there weren't many others. To be fair I thought Dayle Robertson was set to score in the second half but it was a brilliant block from Easton.

"We obviously went into the game looking to win it but it wasn't to be and having four games in such a short space of time is very difficult. I suppose you dream before a ball is kicked that you can make it out of the group but that wasn't our objective for the season.
 
"Overall, results aside and other than the first half on Tuesday I'm happy with how we've done from a performance and fitness point of view and I think our strength and conditioning coach Shaw has done a great job with the group. It isn't easy to play 4 games in a 10 day period and our fitness has been excellent so I think he deserves a lot of praise for that."

Looking forward to the league opener at Kynoch Park on Saturday, he said, "We have to respect Keith and it will be a tough game - an away fixture at any level is tough. We have to do what we have been doing and enjoy any hardships that we might have in the game and that'll be our mindset going into it. We understand it'll be a difficult game but it's one we're looking forward to."
 
ADMISSION INFORMATION
Tomorrow’s fixture at Kynoch Park kicks off at 3pm. Admission prices are £10 for adults, £5 for concessions and under 16’s go free with a paying adult. Cash and card payments are accepted.

SUPPORTERS TRAVEL
Brechin City Supporters’ Club are running a bus to the game which will leave St Ninians Square at 11:15am. The bus is now fully booked – thank you for your support.

MATCH OFFICIALS
The match referee tomorrow afternoon will be Owen Lawrence, assisted by Pawel Gorczynski and James Coull.

LAST TIME OUT
City ended their Premier Sports Cup group stage with a 4-0 defeat away from home against East Fife. Keith meanwhile completed their pre-season schedule with a narrow 2-1 defeat against a young Aberdeen side at Kynoch Park.

PREVIOUS MEETING
Keith 0-1 Brechin City – 16 April 2024
You only have to go back to April for City’s last visit up to Kynoch Park, with Kevin McHattie’s second half piledriver proving to be the match winner.