Match Report - By Grant Hood

Darren Dods’ Brechin City secured an encouraging victory over SPFL Premiership opponents in the form of Paul Hartley’s Dundee in the Glebe Parkers’ final preparation match before the competitive action starts. A 70th minute winner from striker Robert Thomson was the only goal in a performance which provided further positive evidence as to how the playing squad is continuing to gel.

There was a dearth of goalmouth action in a first half spoiled by the same wind which was caused the suspension of play at The Open some 40 miles away in St Andrews. Almost all shots at goal were long range efforts from the visitors – with notable efforts from James McPake and Gary Harkin – but nothing particularly troubled ‘Buzz’ in the City goal.

City worked exceptionally hard to put Dundee midfielders and defenders under constant pressure with a high intensity pressing game. As the half wore on, City also became more of an attacking threat, and might have had a penalty when a goalbound Dene Shields effort clearly struck the hand of James McPake. Doubtless the appeals would have been significantly more vociferous had the game not been a friendly.

Buzz was called into action just before the half-time whistle parrying a fierce shot at the near post from Rory Loy, who home fans will recall scored the winner for previous club Falkirk to dump City out of last season’s Scottish Cup en route to the final.

Dundee made five substitutions at half-time, although messrs Dods and Bailey resisted the temptation to alter the Brechin line up until the hour mark.

In what might have been seen as the first meaningful action, Dees’ striker Kane Hemmings engineered himself a shooting opportunity inside the box and slotted a low drive past Buzz. However, midfielder and fans favourite Gary Fusco further endeared himself to the City faithful by back-tracking and blocking the former Rangers man’s goal bound effort – well on the right side of the goal-line.

As the game entered the final quarter, Robert Thomson shot wide from a promising position, but scored the game’s only goal shortly afterwards. The intensity of City’s pressing game showed no signs of diminishing, resulting in substitute Craig Johnston regaining possession outside the box. He fed a short pass to the feet of ROBERT THOMSON who controlled the ball before gleefully smashing it high past former Stranraer keeper David Mitchell.

Shortly afterwards, the pressing game almost paid dividends for City again as Andy Jackson and Craig Johnston combined to block a Gary Irvine clearance inside the 6 yard box, only to see it ricochet off the post to safety.

Dundee then had their best chance to equalise when Hemmings beat the offside trap to find himself clean through on goal following a through ball from Greg Stewart. Happily for City fans though, keeper Buzz was smartly off his line to make a telling block. With Dundee increasing the tempo to find an equaliser, City were also looking dangerous as play swung from end to end.

City’s trialist No 17 then hit the side net from within the 6 yard box after exciting set-up play from Craig Johnston, and he was unlucky a minute later when a cross-cum-shot was touched on to the crossbar and over by the Dundee keeper. Johnston caught the eye once again, with a probing run from the right wing to centre, although his powerful 20 yard drive was only just off target.

A final half chance fell to Hemmings as he tried to divert a driven cross from Greg Stewart goalwards from 3 yards out, but he was unable to get the contact he was hoping for, sending the ball high over the home crossbar.

Many of the dark blue fans in the 869 crowd conceded that City were well worth the win, citing organisation, energy, enthusiasm and an impressive work ethic. Pre-season friendlies are notoriously difficult to base future predictions upon, but Player-Manager Darren Dods and Coach Lee Bailey are entitled to be in an optimistic frame of mind following an encouraging start to their fledgling Brechin City management careers.