The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Brechin go down to Warriors ahead of crunch play-off final
Brechin City went down to a 1-0 defeat from Stenhousemuir at Glebe Park in their final league match of the season.
With City already consigned to a Pyramid play-off final against either Kelty Hearts or Brora Rangers, the outcome of the match was academic for both sides.
But there’s no doubt that City will be extremely disappointed going into what will undoubtedly be the most important two matches the club have faced in their 114-year history on the back of their 13th home league game without a victory.
The Warriors put pressure on the home defence straight from kick-off but the first chance came City’s way in the ninth minute when Kieran Inglis headed a Connor Coupe cross just wide of the post.
The visitors responded immediately with City keeper Paddy O’neil doing well to block an Adam Mccracken closerange drive and the keeper was called into action again in the 19th minute tipping a Ryan Blair 20-yard drive round the post for a corner.
Stenny were enjoying the bulk of territorial advantage and O’neil came to City’s rescue again four minutes before the break when he brought off a point-blank save to deny Josh Grigor.
The first chance of the second-half came the Warriors way when Mark Mcguigan had a free header in front of goal but O’neil saved easily.
City were posing more of a threat as the half progressed and Bobby Barr was unlucky to see a shot from the edge of the box saved by Paddy Martin and shortly afterwards Inglis fired a drive wide of the target.
Stenny then had an opportunity in the 67th minute when Thomas Halleran pushed forward into the City box but he steered his shot well wide of the target.
However, with play flowing from end to end it was the Warriors who made the breakthrough in the 80th minute when Martin Shiels completely outpaced Jonathan Page on the left touchline and delivered a pin-point cross into the box for the unmarked Mcguigan who had the simplest of tasks in slotting the ball past O’neil.
● Cowdenbeath brought the curtain down on a disappointing season last night with a 2-0 win over Albion Rovers at Central Park.
The Blue Brazil left it late to get the second goal but it gave them the three points their performance was worthy of and took them to the 21-point mark – 11 more than Brechin.
Kyle Miller put Gary Bollan’s men ahead on 12 minutes but the Fife side had to wait until stoppage-time to secure the points with a second goal from veteran striker Iain Russell.