Match Report - By John Hoey

Brechin City 2 Stenhousemuir 1

Brechin City got the 2016/17 Ladbrokes League One campaign off to a winning start with a hard-fought but in the end, deserved victory over Stenhousemuir at Glebe Park.

Alan Trouten set his side on the victory trail in the 34th minute when he tapped the ball home from close-range after great work from Andy Jackson but the Warriors fought back to equalise in the second-half when centre-back Fraser Kerr slotted the ball past Graeme Smith in the City goal.

Although City had the majority of possession and pressure thereafter, it looked as if a share of the spoils was on the cards until the 79th minute when substitute Ross Caldwell who had replaced Ally Love just seconds earlier was on hand to blast home the winner with his first touch of the ball after a Jackson shot had been parried by Warriors keeper Colin McCabe.

The visitors started well and an Alan Cook drive within the first minute was just wide of Graeme Smith's left-hand post.

City hit back five minutes later when Chris O'Neil headed the ball down into the path of Finn Graham whose first-time right-foot shot was just inches over the bar with the Warriors responding seconds later when a Colin McMenamin shot was easily gathered by Smith.

City came back again and they were denied what appeared to be stonewall claims for a penalty turned down by referee David Munro in the 10th minute when Jackson forced his way into the visitors penalty-box before being brought down by Stenny keeper Colin McCabe but incredibly, Mr Munro awarded a goal-kick.

The visitors then had a half-chance in the 16th minute when Grant Hamilton fired past the post after good build-up play but City came very close to opening the scoring ten minutes later when Willie Dyer picked up a pass from Graham and tried a shot from around 30 yards which McCabe did well to turn round the post. James Dale then sent a long-range effort wide of the target before City opened the scoring after 34minutes.

Jackson picked up a pass in the Stenny penalty-box and turned his man before cutting the ball back across the box for ALAN TROUTEN who blasted the ball home from around five yards out.

The visitors then missed a glorious chance to draw level six minutes before the break when a slip from Gareth Rodger allowed Mark Gilhaney a clear run on goal, Gilhaney pushed forward before passing the ball to Cook who had the goal at his mercy but he then slipped with the home defence relieved to clear the ball away.

City started the second-half on the front foot and In the 53rd minute, Jackson picked up a pass from O'Neil and pushed forward into the Stenny box before firing in a shot which McCabe held.

The hosts continued to press and a couple of minutes later, Love broke free before sending a good cross-field pass to O'Neil who pushed forward into the Warriors box before firing in a shot which took a slight deflection with McCabe saving easily.

Good build-up play between O'Neil, Graham and Trouten ended with 'Trouts' trying to lob the keeper who was off his line but the ball trundled last the far post and shortly afterwards a 15 yard drive from Graham went last the post.

City were enjoying the lion's share of possession but the visitors were by no means out if things and in the 61st minute, Stephen Stirling tapped a free-kick into the path of Cook who blasted the ball well over the bar. The Warriors had better luck five minutes later though when they grabbed the equaliser.

The ball was played into the City box and Colin McMenamin passed across a crowded penalty area into the path of centre-back Fraser Kerr who wasted no time in slotting the ball past Smith.

The home side tried to hit back and in the 77th minute, Love picked up a pass from defence and raced forward into the Warriors box but he was crowded out by the visitors defence before he could get a shot in.

City though kept at it and they made the vital breakthrough with the winning goal a couple of minutes later.

ROSS CALDWELL who had come on for Love just seconds before scored the all-important winner in the 79th minute when he was in hand to blast the ball into the roof of the net after a Jackson drive had been parried into his path by McCabe and it was nearly 3-1 right on the final whistle when Caldwell broke down the left and squared the ball across the goalmouth for Trouten whose first-time shot was blocked by the Stenny keeper.

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