Brechin pay for missed chances

Two converted penalties wrapped up victory for Stirling Albion over Brechin City in last night’s Betfred Cup tie at Forthbank Stadium.

Peter MacDonald blasted home a spot-kick five minutes before the break with Liam Caddis doing likewise in the final minute to clinch the win for the Binos.

Stirling had the first opportunity of the match after nine minutes when former City defender Ewan McNeil collected a pass deep in the City box and fired in a blistering drive which was touched away for a corner by Graeme Smith.

City hit back four minutes later when Ewan Spark picked up the ball at the edge of the Stirling box and tried a shot but it lacked power and Binos keeper Cammy Binnie gathered easily.

The visitors had another halfchance 10 minutes before half-time when Willie Dyer fired in a shot from around 25 yards but it again lacked power with Binnie saving easily but the visitors created a better opportunity a couple of minutes later when Callum Morrison had a blistering right-foot drive palmed away by Smith.

The Binos kept up the pressure and they made the breakthrough from the penalty-spot five minutes before the break after McNeil was brought down in the box by James Dale with Peter MacDonald stepping up to blast home the spot-kick.

City started the second-half positively with Issac Layne side-footing an Andy Jackson cross just past the post within the opening seconds and they missed another great chance 15 minutes into the half when Ryan McGeever blasted the ball over from two yards out.

City came back again and Layne wasted a great opportunity in the 75th minute when he fired past the post when a bit more composure would have paid dividends and it was a similar story at the other end six minutes later when sub Darren Smith blasted the ball high and wide with the goal at his mercy.

However, the Binos wrapped up victory on the stroke of full-time when Liam Caddis converted from the spot after Spark had brought down Morrison in the penalty box.

Stirling: Binnie, McGeachie, Noble, McNeil, R Smith (Hamilton 85), Robertson (Black 62), Morrison, Caddis, McDonald (D Smith 73), Kavanagh, Dickson. Subs not used – Davidson, McMullan, Cameron, Foden.

Brechin City: Smith, Lynas, Dyer, Crighton, McGeever, Dale, Spark, Orsi (Graham 54), Jackson, Love (Sinclair 68), Layne. Subs not used – Ford, C O’Neil, Dods, P O’Neil.