Brechin City 3 Dunfemline 0

Saturday, 18th Apr 2015

SPFL League One: Ross Millen red card (13); Alan Trouten (25) 1-0; Alan Trouten (29) 2-0; Andy Jackson (65) 3-0

BRECHIN CITY 3 DUNFERMLINE 0

Dunfermline went head to head with the team they had to overtake if they wish to make next month's Championship Play offs. Brechin City started seven points ahead of the Pars with just nine points left to play for. It has been described by Pars gaffer, John Potter, as a tall order but at least this week results elsewhere were of no interest.

Except for those in the main stand bright sunshine welcomed the teams and supporters to Glebe Park. Dunfermline, seeking their first win there since 1994, fielded the same team as started against Stranraer the previous week. The only change to the squad being Josh Falkingham coming back to the bench at the expense of Ryan Williamson.

Brechin City made one change from the eleven that snatched the late win over Stirling Albion, Alan Trouten coming in to replace one time Par Robert Thomson. The teams changed ends before the home team kicked off down the hill but it was the Pars who had the first attempt on goal just inside the second minute. After an exchange between Ross Millen and Alex Whittle, the ball was played in from the right. Ryan Thomson rose to head it down and when it fell for Andy Geggan who under pressure from Darren McCormack, blasted a shot narrowly wide left from 20 yards out.

It had all started well for Dunfermline but when the home team were awarded a free kick just inside the Pars half, Millen was adjudged to have elbowed Trouten on the edge of the box and referee John McKendrick produced his red card. With just thirteen minutes gone this was to make his team's task all the more difficult.

Geggan moved to right back but Dunfermline continued to pressurise their opponents. On the counterattack Bobby Barr evaded several attempts to tackle him and hit a good attempt wide right of target after he had worked his way into the left side of the box.

As the midway point passed the home side were beginning to take a grip of the play and in 25 minutes TROUTEN latched on to a pass on the right side and despatched a shot into the Pars net to Scully's right. 1-0

TROUTEN was to strike again within four minutes. Jamie Masson received the ball from a throw in on the right and he made ground until he could release a left footed shot from the edge of the box. Scully dived to his left to save but could not hold and the City striker arrived to scoop the loose ball up and send it into the net. 2-0

Andy Jackson sent a good chance wide left before the Pars introduced Josh Falkingham for Shaun Byrne with 33 minutes on the clock. The Pars went 4-3-2 and continued to push up. Thomson headed a Whittle free kick wide left and two Lewis Martin free kicks aimed at the right side of the Brechin box were defended.

In 40 minutes Geggan aimed a free kick at the other side of the box but Gregor Buchanan just could not reach it. Barr was shown yellow after cutting down Whittle and two minutes later Whittle was shown yellow for his challenge on Barr.

Geggan attacked down the right and despite the scoreline the Pars still looked very competitive. As the half time whistle came the cheers were all for the home team who had capitalised on the extra man advantage and taken their chances.

Half time: Brechin City 2 Dunfermline 0

The half time team talk lasted just eight minutes before Scully and Geggan led the team back out to get on with the job in hand. Geggan and Moffat took the kick off with the target Thomson down the left but Brechin defended that. Finn Graham took on the role at right back as Geggan returned to the midfield.

It was Brechin who had the first chance of the second half, Trouten driving the ball outside the left upright. With the Pars pushing up with a display of renewed aggression, Barr evaded the offside trap and forced a corner off Graham.

Nine minutes into the second period Faissal El Bakhtaoui replaced Allan Smith. A corner was forced on the right and Falkingham's delivery was met by Buchanan''s head but his effort was defended. The Pars pushed hard for a goal that could make it quite a different game. El Bakhtaoui tried a left footed shot from 16 yards out but the ball went out off the park.

Brechin came back at their Fife opponents with Ewan O'Neil's drive turned behind by Buchanan for a corner. The defence dealt with it but in 65 minutes Barr again caused problems and the defence was unlucky as Andy JACKSON got the break of the ball to crash the ball home from close in for 3-0.

Four minutes later El Bakhtaoui's shot from the edge of the box hit Smith's right hand post and went out for a goal kick. Jackson was then possibly fortunate to see only yellow after he kicked out at Falkingham.

It was typical of the Pars luck when in 76 minutes El Bakhtaoui squared for an unmarked Geggan that Graeme Smith pulled off a good save on an equally good shot. Brechin defended two Dunfermline corners taken by sub David Hopkirk in 84th minute.

At the other end Barr was fed the ball after Calum Tapping had sent away Robert Thomson on a driving run but the Brechin man's shot was blocked by Geggan. Next Tapping drove a good shot narrowly wide in the second minute of added time but the Angus side saw the game out for the three points. The Pars play off hopes that some thought were already all over, are now.

BRECHIN CITY: Graeme Smith; Ewan McNeil, Paul McLean, Darren McCormack, Colin Hamilton; Jamie Masson (Ryan Ferguson 83), Gary Fusco, Craig Molloy (c) (Calum Tapping 79), Bobby Barr; Andy Jackson, Alan Trouten (Robert Thomson 73).
SUBS NOT USED: Steven Jackson, Paddy O'Neil (GK).
SCORERS: Trouten (25, 29), Jackson (65)
YELLOW CARD: Barr (41), A Jackson (74)

DUNFERMLINE: Ryan Scully; Ross Millen, Gregor Buchanan, Lewis Martin, Alex Whittle; Finn Graham, Shaun Byrne Josh Falkingham 33), Andy Geggan, (c), Ryan Thomson (David Hopkirk 67); Allan Smith (Faissal El Bakhtaoui 54), Michael Moffat.
SUBS NOT USED: Kyle McAusland, Declan O'Kane, Andy Barrowman, Jamie Wilson (GK)
YELLOW CARD: Whittle (43)
RED CARD: Millen (13)

REFEREE: John McKendrick
WEATHER: Sunny 14C
ATTENDANCE 808

NEXT MATCH: SPFL League One: (home) v Forfar Athletic. Saturday 25th April 2015, kick off 3.00pm

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Preview Brechin City

Saturday, 18th Apr 2015

The Pars travel to Brechin City on Saturday knowing that nothing other than a win will do if they wish to keep their slim hopes of a play off place alive.

ADMISSION PRICES Adult £12 Concession (over 65s and U18s) £6 Parent and Child £15  (plus £2 for each additional school-age child in family party)

The Pars travel to Brechin City on Saturday knowing that nothing other than a win will do if they wish to keep their slim hopes of a play off place alive. The Glebe Park side sit seven points ahead of Dunfermline with nine points left to play for. There has now been 43 league matches between them but the last victory there on league business remains on 4th January 1994. The Fifers have won 29, Brechin City 6 and 8 matches have been drawn. The best Pars result in Brechin was a 6-1 win in 1979 courtesy of a Mike Leonard hat trick and goals from Jimmy Mullin, Kevin Hegarty, and Walter Borthwick.

Milestones v Brechin City (away)
Last Victory	04/01/94	1-0	Div One
Last Defeat	25/01/14	2-3	League One
Best Victory	07/03/79	6-1	Div Two
Worst Defeat	1931-32	0-3	Div Two

In the first meeting of this season was a disappointing goalless draw for the League One odds on favourites. Brechin did what a lot of clubs do when they visit East End Park - conceded midfield but defend in depth. The opposition and their supporters really celebrated that draw. The next game was again at East End but City won that February night by the only goal of the game scored by Alan Trouten in 73rd minute.  When the teams met again one week later in Angus, Josh Falkingham put the visitors ahead within the first minute only for Paul McLean to equalise early in the second half.  The 1-1 draw extended Brechin's run to 16 league games undefeated.

Last twelve meetings
2014/2015
League One	Brechin City	1-1	Dunfermline	02/03/15
League One	Dunfermline	0-1	Brechin City	24/02/15
League One	Dunfermline	0-0	Brechin City	09/08/14
2013/2014
League One	Dunfermline	2-1	Brechin City	29/03/14
League One	Brechin City	3-2	Dunfermline	25/01/14
League One	Dunfermline	3-1	Brechin City	23/11/13
League One	Brechin City	1-1	Dunfermline	14/09/13
1993/1994
First Division	Dunfermline	2-1	Brechin City	30/04/94
First Division	Brechin City	0-1	Dunfermline	04/01/94
First Division	Dunfermline	4-0	Brechin City	30/10/93
First Division	Brechin City	1-0	Dunfermline	21/08/93
1986/1987
First Division	Dunfermline	0-2	Brechin City	18/04/87

Brechin City will finish their league season away to Stenhousemuir and then at home to Stranraer.  Both those teams will be fighting for their futures.  Stenhousemuir are in a battle with Ayr United to avoid the League One play offs and Stranraer could well still be fighting for the automatic promotion place. Points will not be easy to come but before Dunfermline can contemplate their final matches against Forfar Athletic at home and Airdrieonians away, they must defeat Brechin.

Brechin City	Dunfermline
Current League Position
4	6
Recent League Results
LLDDWW	WDWLDW
League Points
55	48
Goal Difference
+11	+4
League Home / Away Record
P16, W6, D7, L3	P16, W5, D4, L7

John Potter's team has taken 11 points from the last 18 while Brechin have taken just eight. Last Saturday's 93rd minute winner against Stirling Albion was Brechin's first winner at home since 28th February.

Recent Form this season - home / away
Brechin City (home)				Dunfermline (away)
Stirling Albion	W	2-1		Peterhead	D	1-1
Peterhead	D	2-2		Stenhousemuir	W	1-0
Forfar Athletic	L	2-3		Brechin City	D	1-1
Airdrieonians	D	0-0		Stranraer	L	1-5
Dunfermline Athletic	D	1-1		Forfar Athletic	L	0-1
Stenhousemuir	W	2-1		Ayr United	W	2-1

Last Time Out

DUNFERMLINE (v Stranraer): Ryan Scully; Ross Millen, Gregor Buchanan, Lewis Martin, Alex Whittle; Finn Graham, Shaun Byrne (Kyle McAusland 56), Andy Geggan, (c), Ryan Thomson; Allan Smith (Faissal El Bakhtaoui 69), Michael Moffat.
SUBS NOT USED: Ryan Williamson, Declan O'Kane, David Hopkirk, Andy Barrowman, Jamie Wilson (GK)

BRECHIN CITY (v Stirling Albion): Graeme Smith; Ewan McNeil, Paul McLean, Darren McCormack, Colin Hamilton; Gary Fusco, Craig Molloy (c), Jamie Masson, Bobby Barr; Andy Jackson, Robert Thomson (Calum Tapping 80).
SUBS NOT USED: Ollie Durojaiye, Alan Trouten, Steven Jackson, Ryan Ferguson, Patrick O'Neil (GK).

Referee will be John McKendrick.

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