Brechin fail to come to terms with Wasps

PLAY-OFFS: City have it all to do after coming a distant second best

BRECHIN CITY 0 ALLOA ATHLETIC 2

Brechin have a mountain to climb after the first leg of this SPFL Championship play-off semi-final against Alloa.

The Wasps had by far the better chances, with former Newcastle striker Michael Chopra opening the scoring.

Then, deep in stoppage time, on-loan Dundee defender Kyle Benedictus netted a second for the Wasps.

Brechin boss Ray McKinnon made a host of changes from the team beaten by Stranraer at the weekend, with regulars Alan Trouten, Bobby Barr, Colin Hamilton, Andy Jackson, Gerry McLauchlan and keeper Graeme Smith all drafted back in to the starting line-up.

In a fast and furious opening, neither side allowed the other a second on the ball.

The first chance didn’t arrive until the 24th minute, when Alloa’s Mark Docherty tried a long-range chip which landed on the top of Smith’s net.

The keeper had to be at his best just before half-time when Iain Flannigan got his head to a Docherty cross 12 yards out.

However, the goalie was helpless to prevent Alloa taking the lead in the 56th minute. Ryan McCord sent a ball to the Brechin back post towards Buchanan, who cut it back for Chopra to easily net from close range past the helpless Smith.

It was no more than Alloa deserved, with City struggling as an attacking force and Wasps goalie John Gibson a virtual spectator.

McKinnon brought on Robert Thomson and then Calum Tapping in a bid to change that.

It almost worked when the latter whipped in a superb ball from the right with the former just inches away from what would have been a tap-in at the Alloa back post.

Then in the 92nd minute, the Wasps’ Flannigan sent a corner in from the left all the way to the Brechin back post with Benedictus heading powerfully past Smith to leave the Angus side with it all to do in the second leg. Attendance: 505.

Brechin: Smith, E McNeil, Hamilton, McLean, McLauchlan, Fusco (Tapping, 72), Trouten (Ferguson, 85), Molloy, A Jackson (Thomson, 64), Masson, Barr. Subs not used – S. Jackson, Tough, P O’Neil.

Alloa: Gibson, Doyle, Benedictus, Gordon, Chopra (Layne, 73), Cawley, Buchanan (Spence, 89), Docherty, McCord (Holmes, 80), Flannigan, Meggatt. Subs not used – Hetherington, Ferguson, Ashgar, Couser.

Referee: Brian Colvin.

Picture: SNS. Brechin’s Gerry McLauchlan slides in on Alloa’s Michael Chopra.