The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Brechin blow Loons away to claim honours inAngus
Forfar Athletic 1 Brechin City 4
BRECHIN BLEW Forfar away with a clinical second half lesson in finishing.
A drab f irst half produced little excitement for the handsome new year crowd but goals aplenty after the break sent the Brechin contingent home happy.
City showed little indication in the first half of what was to come from them and it was Forfar who turned on the early pressure to craft out a succession of chances.
Dale Hilson picked up a great through ball which caught City square but he was held up well before finding Chris Templeman.
He twisted and turned in his familiar style to get a shot in but it was straight at keeper Michael Andrews. Hilson fired in an effort himself next but the Brechin keeper parried this one away.
James Craigan and Templeman saw their efforts saved before Michael Bolochoweckyj was booked at the other end for fouling Derek Carcary. Jonathan Brown curled the free kick over the wall but straight at Jack Hamilton.
The boredom and the deadlock was broken in style just a minute and a half into the second period when David McKenna fired Brechin ahead with a sensational strike.
He pounced on a knockdown 20 yards from goal and fairly lashed a volley into the top left corner with Hamilton beaten.
Forfar were rattled and Brechin looked to press the advantage, Brown and Andy Jackson combining well, with the latter just scooping a lob over the bar.
If the first goal was brilliant the second was scrappy – but just as vital.
A deep cross from the right by Gary Fusco found Brown at the far post. His knock-back across goal from a tight angle squirmed away from a defender on the line and rolled into the net.
Brechin wrapped the points up as early as the 64th minute as Forfar again failed to clear in midfield. Craigan slipped allowing Derek Carcary to power into the box and slot a neat angled drive beyond Hamilton.
Forfar gave themselves the faintest of hopes when they pulled one back in the 79th minute, Gavin Swankie clipping a lovely shot into the top left corner from 18 yards.
However, Brechin swept immediately upfield and restored their three-goal advantage within the minute.
Sub Scott Dalziel made no mistake when he was through and buried his shot from 10 yards.
Brechin boss Ray McKinnon was a delighted man. This was a great result and we really deserved it,” he said.
“We worked so hard. In the second half it looked like we could score every time we broke. We so clinical today.”
Forfar manager Dick Campbell said: “I think we had eight chances in the first half and didn’t score any.
“They probably had five in total and scored four of them. “It is a sore one but I have no complaints.” Forfar Athletic: Hamilton, Robertson ( Malin 66), I. Campbell, Bishop, Bolochoweckyj, Craigan (Fotheringham 66), Hilson, McCulloch, Templeman (King 75), Swankie, Denholm. Subs not used: R. Campbell, Scott. Brechin City: Andrews, McLean, Brown, Hay, Moyes, McLauchlan, Fusco, Molloy (Brady 48), Jackson, McKenna (R. Stewart 83), Carcary (Dalziel 75). Subs not used: J. Stewart, Nelson. Referee: Mike Tumilty. Attendance: 903.