Baird and Hilson strike as Loons get play-off bid back on track

Forfar Athletic jumped back into the play-off positions as their topsyturvy season continued.

The Loons look to have found how to win in derbies as they recorded their second victory over Angus neighbours in three weeks. But there is no doubt that the sheer volume of local encounters will play a pivotal part in final league placings come the end of the season.

With Montrose taking just the one point from league leaders Arbroath, Forfar’s victory over Brechin allowed manager Jim Weir’s side to leapfrog the Links Park side.

The result was warmly welcomed by Weir, who acknowledged his side hadn’t really been at their best.

“It was a difficult game. It certainly wasn’t entertaining,” he said.

“Probably after last week, when I said we would play worse and win, that was certainly the case today.

“I think we just shaded it overall. Bairdy (assistant manager John) certainly knows where the goals are and he got us off to a great start. I think that settled us a wee bit as I don’t think until that point we had any control of the game.

“But we lost Bairdy and had to make a change and try to get to half time. After we got the penalty – certainly from where I was I thought it was – we looked decent and in control but my goalie still had to pull off two excellent saves.

“As we saw the last time we played Brechin, when they have strikers of the quality of Jackson and Hendry you are always going to have to defend.

“If he hadn’t made those saves, it certainly would have made it edgy towards the end.

“But I don’t think Barry can have any complaints – I thought we deserved to win the game.”

After a sluggish start, Forfar broke the deadlock in the 19th minute. A fantastic crossfield cross from Dale Hilson found Baird on the left. He brilliantly controlled the ball and skipped inside a defender before tucking a low shot past keeper Patrick O’Neil.

City’s Jordan Tapping had an early header after the break gathered by Marc McCallum before the Brechin defender put in a great challenge in the 53rd minute to deny Jamie Bain a clear shot on goal.

Forfar almost doubled their lead moments later. Connor Coupe fired a cross across the box but Bain could only head into the arms of the goalie

Forfar did have their second four minutes later, when Bain was bundled over in the box and Hilson stroked the resultant penalty calmly past O’Neil.

Andy Jackson’s volley almost pulled one back for Brechin but for a brilliant save from McCallum who dived low to deny the City man.

McCallum topped his previous stop with five minutes to go with a simply stunning save to deny Burns from point-blank range.

Brechin boss Barry Smith admitted his patience is running out with his under-performing players.

And he warned that changes have to happen soon – either in results or personnel.

“There was nothing in the game,” he said.

“What we ask the players to do is do what they are good at and not to try to do things they aren’t good at. If we keep making the same mistakes we will never give ourselves a chance in the game and the same happened again today.

“We win as a team and we lose as a team but individual errors are costing us dearly. If we keep giving it away and keep getting punished for it, then we are never going to give ourselves a chance.

“We have now lost a run of games and that isn’t good enough for me. And the players in there have had a chance. It is now getting to that stage in January when we will have to make changes.

“Defensively I don’t think we did that badly but individual mistakes ahead of them cost us.”

Dale Hilson bagged Forfar’s second goal.