Brechin City v Stenhousemuir FC

Brechin City v Stenhousemuir at Glebe Park, Brechin on 14.08.10                                                                         Irn Bru Scottish Second Division                     Att 404                                                                                              Brechin City 0 Stenhousemuir 0

After the victory against Dundee in midweek it was always going to be interesting to see how the Warriors reacted to what is their bread and butter, the Scottish Second Division.

Stenhousemuir were forced into a couple of changes with Ross Clark missing through injury and Grant Anderson on holiday. There was a change in tactics from the free flowing football of recent games as John Coughlin tried to rectify the difficulties that were forthcoming in the last encounter when Brechin were comfortable winners.

This meant that the Warrior’s played a more narrow formation with Willie Lyle sitting between the defence and midfield and as a consequence gave both added protection though it looked as if that may have been in doubt when he picked up a caution in only four minutes but he was able to put that to the side and play a highly effective role.

Brechin had the first opportunity to take the lead in only the 5^th minute when Kevin Motion lost possession twice in quick succession and he would have been relieved to see Chris McCluskey make a comfortable save from Charlie King. It was a similar situation at the other end in the 14^th minute when David Scott was not really tested by a Paul Quinn header.

The game was taking a while to settle down and the closest that either team to breaking the deadlock in the 31^st minute when Rory McAllister saw an effort strike the underside of the bar but luckily for the Warrior’s it did not appear to cross the line. A one two between Stephen Thomson and Stevie Murray ended when the former crashed an effort just wide from an acute angle a few minutes later and in the 39^th minute Alex Williams pounced on a miss hit Quinn effort to fire home only for the effort to be disallowed for offside.

These warnings provoked a response from the home side and Mark Docherty brought out a fingertip save from McCluskey a minute later and this was followed by a King effort that curled just wide.

Brechin started the second half in positive fashion once more and really should have taken the lead within a minute of the resumption when David McKenna appeared to have rounded McCluskey but from close range hit his effort into the side netting. This was followed by a looping effort by Docherty that McCluskey had to scramble over the bar. The Warriors were not creating the same volume of chances at this stage but were matching Brechin in every other way with the work rate and commitment epitomised by a brave block by Jordan Smith that effectively ended his match but kept the Warriors in the hunt.

A Stevie Murray free kick was headed wide by Gary Thom before the best passing move from either team saw Alex Williams have a headed effort from close range that was gathered at the second attempt by Scott.

 Andy Stirling and Scott Dalziel were introduced to the attack for the latter stages of the game and they were to cause the home defence some problems but were unable to make the breakthrough that their play deserved.

In the dying moments there was to be consternation in the home ranks when Docherty had an effort cleared by Scott Gibb that the Brechin players thought had crossed the line. No goal was given though and to add insult to injury the referee bemused everyone in the crowd by giving an offside call instead and thus the game ended with a share of the spoils.

Brechin City – Scott, McLean, Cook, McGlaughlan, Moyes, Molloy, McKenna [Smith 76][b77], Janczyk [Fusco 85], McAllister [b85], King and Docherty. Subs not used – Byers, White and Morrison

Stenhousemuir – McCluskey, Lyle [b4], S.Thomson, Gibb, Smith [Fusco 67], Thom, I.Thomson, Motion, Quinn [Stirling 73], Williams [Dalziel 76] and Murray. Subs not used – Brown and Scullion

Referee – Crawford Allan            Assistants – Alistair Mather and Kevin J.Graham