Brechin City Football Club

Glebe Park, Brechin, Angus DD9 6BJ

Tel : 01356 623344
Email : secretary@brechincityfc.com
www.brechincity.com

Queen's Park 0 Brechin City 0

Match Report - By Match Secretary

BRECHIN City missed the chance to close the gap at the top of the table, battling out a 0-0 draw with Queens Park at Hampden Park on Saturday.

Craig Nelson came back into Brechin’s starting line-up in place of Chris McCluskey, while Charlie King deputized for injured skipper Darren Smith and Ian Diack was preferred up front to Baird.
Brechin created a couple of early chances, first Twigg saw an effort blocked for a corner, then Byers played Diack through, but the striker’s cross-come-shot was palmed away by Crawford with Twigg again lurking dangerously.
The Spiders had the better of the opening 45 minutes though, playing some neat football as City’s midfield struggled to get in to the game and fashioning opportunities of their own.
A flick on by Watt gave the impressive Holms an opening, but Nelson did well to save the winger’s header, before Watt again did well to lay the ball off to Harkins, but he lobbed the ball right down the Brechin keeper’s throat.
Just before half time the home side again tested Nelson, first well-struck Harkins drive forced the goalie to get down low to save, and then Holms went on a mazy run, eventually seeing his 20 yard shot palmed away.
Brechin’s management team must have had a few words to say at half time, as the second half was a marked improvement on what had gone before, with the team looking livelier, especially in midfield.
Baird was introduced for Diack 10 minutes into the half, before Twigg had the best chance of the game in the 67th minute. Brechin’s top scorer took a long ball from the back on his chest and did well to place his shot low and across Crawford, only to see the ball come back off the base of the post.
Nelson then made the save of the game after the Spiders were awarded a soft free-kick right on the edge of the box. Cairney placed the ball perfectly low into the bottom corner, but the City keeper did brilliantly to dive down and parry it out. Watt followed it up but knocked the ball wide when he should have scored.
Duffy then brought on Gary Fusco for Byers and moved Charlie King into a more advanced central role as Brechin went in search of a winner.
It was then that the away side started to pile on the pressure, and Baird looked odds on to score three times in the last five minutes.
First, King lobbed the ball into the on-loan forward, who did well to turn his man only to see his low left foot shot comfortably saved by Crawford. Baird then burst through the Spider’s defence, and looked like he might have been pulled down on the edge of the box by last-man Brough, but referee Alan Muir waved play on.
Baird’s best chance came just a minute later though. King crossed to the back post from the left side but striker could only hit Crawford when he really should have scored.
There was still time for Queens Park to force another good save out of Nelson though, the keeper thwarting Holms again, who had headed Ure’s cross towards goal.
Brechin’s back-line can be very pleased with their performances, with Nelson Jon Seeley standing out in particular, while Baird also looked lively when he was brought on.
Overall a draw was probably a fair result with Queens Park the better side in the first half and Brechin shading the second.
However, with Ayr losing to City may well feel slightly disappointed not to have gained some ground on second place by converting one of the chances they created late in the game.


Result

17 January 2009
Hampden Park
Attendance: 466

Brechin City

1 Craig Nelson
2 Richard Walker
3 John Ward
4 Jonathon Seeley
5 Willie Dyer
6 Neil Janczyk
7 Kevin Byers
8 Ian Nimmo
9 Charlie King
10 Gary Twigg
11 Iain Diack
     
12 Gary Fusco
14 John Baird
15 David Murie
16 Adam Nelson
17 Chris McLuskey

Substitutions:

  • On: John Baird
    Off: Iain Diack ( 63 )
     
  • On: Gary Fusco
    Off: Kevin Byers ( 82 )
     

Queen's Park

1 Crawford
2 Ure
3 Sinclair
4 Brough
5 Douglas
6 Holms
7 Quinn
8 Cairney
9 Harkins
10 Nicholas
11 Watt
     
12 Boslem
14 Coakley
15 Ronald
16 Dunlop
17 Cowie

Substitutions:

  • On: Boslem
    Off: Sinclair ( 27 )
     
  • On: Coakley
    Off: Nicholas ( 85 )