Match Report - By John Hoey

Dunfermline Athletic 0 Brechin City 1

Brechin City picked up three invaluable league points to keep their title challenge on track with a 1-0 victory over Dunfermline Athletic at East End Park.

It was a tremendous result for the City players who gave their absolute all over the course of the ninety minutes with top scorer Alan Trouten scoring the winner seventeen minutes before the end. It as City's first victory at East End Park since 1987 but no-one could deny them a deserved three points given the tremendous effort every single player put in. The result means that City sit six points ahead of the Pars having played one game less and they are also now three points behind Forfar and Morton and four points behind leaders Stranraer again having played one game fewer than all three teams.

Brechin City boss Ray McKinnon made a couple of changes to the side that defeated Stirling Albion 1-0 at Forthbank on Saturday. Andy Jackson and Gary Fusco dropped to the bench to be replaced by Ryan Ferguson and Craig Storie.

There was a let-off for City after just four minutes when a Darren McCormack pass-back seemed to be covered by Graeme Smith but the ball broke free into the path of a Pars striker Mciahel Moffat and the big keeper had to react quickly and tacked Moffat on the left touchline with referee Andrew Dallas showing him the yellow card.

The referee was in action again three minutes later when he stopped play to have words with City manager Ray McKinnon who was clearly extremely unhappy about Mr Dallas's lack of protection for Robert Thomson who had been on the receiving end of some tough treatment.

The Pars created the first opportunity three minutes later when Lewis Allan turned neatly at the edge of the box and fired in a shot which Smith held comfortably.

City had a chance after 12 Minutes when Ryan Ferguson collected a pass from Robert Thomson and went down in the box but Mr Dallas booked the ex Dunfermline midfielder for diving.

A spell of home pressure three minutes later ended with former City midfielder trying a drive from 20 yards which Smith saved easily.

Good play from City five minutes later saw Barr breaking free on the right and crossing into the box, but unfortunately just beyond Craig Storie. Another good City move seven minutes before half-time saw Barr again break free, this time on the left, and cross across the face of the penalty-area for Alan Trouten whose first-time volley was well over the bar and two minutes before the break a Thomson header from a Ferguson cross was well wide of the target.

City grabbed the initiative at the beginning of the second-half in an effort to break the deadlock and grab the opener and a neat two-man move between Trouten and Robert Thomson gave the ex Pars striker an opportunity but Ryan Scully saved well. Thomson turned creator just a minute later when he played in Gerry McLauchlan who was up supporting the attack but Scully brought off a tremendous point-blank save to deny him.

It was the Pars turn to go on the attack shortly afterwards when a diagonal Ryan Thomson shot hitting Smith's left-hand post with David Hopkirk netting the rebound but the linesman already had his flag up for offside.

Barr who was having an outstanding game for City then fired two efforts wide of the target as City pressed for the winner and it came in the 73rd minute.

Andy Jackson who had replaced Ryan Ferguson just ten minutes earlier won the ball wide on the left and delivered a great cross into the home penalty-box for Trouten who glanced a header past Scully.

Delighted City manager Ray McKinnon said,

" I thought that the lads were excellent from start to finish. They give it their in what is always a tough place to pick up points."

"Dunfermline are a really good side so we're over the moon with the three points. We created some really good chances over the course of the game and I'm absolutely delighted."