Brechin City delivered a statement performance on the road as they brushed aside Nairn County at Station Park yesterday afternoon, moving to within two points of the summit with a game in hand.

With several experienced players missing - including Adam Hutchinson, Brad McKay, Mitch Taylor, Cillian Sheridan and youngster Ethan Crombie - manager Andy Kirk was forced into a reshuffle. Dugald Farquhar, Calvin Beattie and Fraser Macleod were all handed starts and the changes paid off as City turned in one of their most complete performances of the campaign, backed by a strong travelling support.

From the outset, City looked sharp and purposeful. Inside seven minutes, Scott Fraser saw an effort blocked after neat play from Grady McGrath, who would go on to play a decisive role in the game. Lewis Martin then had a goalbound strike well defended as City’s early pressure mounted.

The impressive Kieran Inglis dictated play in the middle of the park

The breakthrough arrived on 26 minutes and was richly deserved. A slick passing move saw Fraser cleverly flick the ball into the path of GRADY MCGRATH and the forward made no mistake, drilling a first-time finish low beyond Tom McHale to give City the lead.

Brechin continued to dominate proceedings before the break, with Scott Fraser, Calvin Beattie & Kieran Inglis in particularly orchestrating in the middle of the park. McGrath was denied on a couple of occasions - first unable to get a shot away following a goalmouth scramble then seeing a clever flick saved whilst Nairn’s only real chance of the half saw Dale Wood fire narrowly wide from distance shortly before the break.

City resumed after the interval with the same intensity. Fraser nearly released McGrath in on goal early in the second half but a last-ditch interception denied him.

However the second goal arrived shortly before the hour mark. Following a quickly taken free kick, Lewis Martin’s delivery deep into the box was met by GRADY MCGRATH who guided his header into the far corner via the inside of the post.

Grady McGrath heads in for the second goal

Almost immediately after the restart, the game swung even further in City’s favour. Nairn skipper Fraser Dingwall was shown a straight red card for hauling down McGrath on the edge of the box as he bore down on goal. McGrath’s resulting free-kick was well saved by McHale, but the hosts were now down to ten men and facing an uphill battle.

Brechin remained in control and continued to create chances. Scott Fraser curled a free-kick just wide from 20 yards whilst McGrath headed off target from an Inglis corner. Shortly after, a well-worked move ended with Spencer Moreland denied by a desperate block.

The third goal arrived with quarter of an hour remaining which effectively sealed the points. Spencer Moreland broke down the right and delivered a pinpoint cross for GRADY MCGRATH who rose to head home and complete a superb hat-trick.

All smiles as McGrath completes his hat-trick

City weren’t finished there. Five minutes from time, a deep delivery caused confusion in the Nairn box and when McHale could only punch the ball into a dangerous area, substitute BEN ARMOUR was on hand to nod into an empty net and make it 4–0.

Nairn grabbed a late consolation in stoppage time through BEN KELLY, who headed home from a right sided cross despite Andy McNeil getting a hand to it, but it did little to take the shine off an outstanding Brechin display.

The result, combined with Brora Rangers slipping to a 1–0 home defeat against Banks O' Dee, significantly boosts City’s title hopes heading into the final four matches of the season.

The sizeable travelling support show their appreciation at full-time

Attention now turns to Wednesday night and another long journey as City travel to face Forres Mechanics at Mosset Park. The incentive is clear - victory would take City to the top of the table with just 3 games remaining but this will be far from straight forward at a venue City have notoriously struggled at since coming into the Highland League.