Match Report - By Grant Hood

DISAPPOINTMENT AT COATBRIDGE FOR CITY

A dismal performance from Brechin City at Coatbridge, coupled with a remarkable first victory for Gary Bollan’s Forfar Athletic over Cowdenbeath, now sees The Glebe Park side marooned in League One’s basement slot.

Prior to the match, hopes were high in the City camp on the back of an at times encouraging performance against League leaders Dunfermline Athletic. Player-manager Darren Dods made only one change to Saturday’s starting XI, with Craig Molloy making way for The Pars’ loanee midfielder Lewis Spence.

A disastrous 8 minute spell before half-time saw City ship 3 goals, leaving too much to do in the second half against a well organised Albion Rovers side who, to their credit, now find themselves in the promotion play-off places.

‘Buzz’ in the City goal had already produced 2 saves of note within the first 3 minutes before Brechin, albeit without creating a goal threat of note, did play themselves into the game. Not before the home side had the ball in the net 13 minutes in though, only for the standside assistant to incense the home fans by flagging for offside.

The first goal arrived on 33 minutes. Home full back Alan Reid powered down the right flank and his driven cross was glanced goalwards by SCOTT McBRIDE. With ‘Buzz’ rooted to the spot, the ball went in off the far post and the visitors were behind.

Disaster struck 5 minutes later when an innocuous forward pass was mis-controlled by Aberdeen-loanee, teenager Lukas Culjak, presenting an easy opportunity for ANDY BARROWMAN to slot the ball past the onrushing Smith.

As Brechin pressed to pull a goal back before the interval, the home side delivered another sickening blow. From a City attack, Rovers suddenly found themselves in a 3-on-1 breakaway, and a composed cross from Scott McBride on the right picked out ALLY LOVE – who gleefully dispatched the ball past ‘Buzz’.

City were more in the game in the second half but those of a home persuasion in the sparse crowd of 210 could legitimately argue that their favourites were defending quite comfortably. More-than-decent chances came and went for Andy Jackson and Jonathan Tiffoney before the game was punctuated by the customary flurry of largely inconsequential substitutions.

As the game entered its final 15 minutes, the tireless Andy Jackson won City a penalty after being unceremoniously felled following yet another lung-bursting effort from the City frontman. Captain PAUL McLEAN stepped forward as (quite incredibly) City’s sixth penalty taker of the season – becoming only the second to score as he fairly blasted his effort straight down the middle.

Sadly for City, any hopes of a late onslaught failed to materialise with home keeper Ross Stewart being protected by his defence, well-marshalled by former City player Michael Dunlop. Indeed worse might have followed for City were it not for superb triple save by ‘Buzz’ as the game neared its conclusion.

In the fourth and final minute of added-on time, the home side were awarded a penalty of their own, when substitute Euan Smith was penalised for a shirt-pull and, with the last kick of the ball, ALLY LOVE did the business from the spot to the clear delight of the Coatbridge faithful.

Other Results - Ladbrokes League One

Cowdenbeath 1 Forfar Athletic 4

New signings on the scoresheet as The Loons secure 3 crucial points.