Jackson continues scoring streak as late winner sends City third

BRECHIN 2 EAST FIFE 1

Talisman striker Andy Jackson fired a stoppage-time winner to send Brechin above opponents East Fife and into third place in League One.

City boss Darren Dods was delighted to see his men get the rub of the green on this occasion after losing added-time goals in each of their previous two games.

Dods said: “We lost late goals against Queen’s Park and Alloa so this evens things up a bit. We have had three hard games in a week, but we hemmed them in in the second half. They only had one corner and we had eight or nine.

“It was a great strike from Andy Jackson and he has scored in each of our last six games.

“After the goal the ref added a chunk more added time and I don’t know where that came from.”

Brechin went close on 17 minutes when a shot from Liam Watt looked netbound until it hit fellow attacker Ross Caldwell.

Brechin took the lead on 20 minutes. Great play by Jackson and Caldwell got the ball to Watt and his low drive found the net.

East Fife took control at the start of the second half and levelled the scores on 56 minutes. The referee decided Gary Fusco had fouled Chris Duggan and the striker scored from the spot.

On 65 minutes, Jackson turned on a throw-in and his shot was deflected wide. Dougie Hill had a volley blocked following a corner, then at the other end, Kevin Smith fired a free-kick over for East Fife.

Three minutes from time, Mark Hurst saved at the feet of Finn Graham. From the resulting corner, Hill had a header blocked.

Brechin won the game a minute into added time. A Watt corner was only partially punched clear by Hurst and Jackson scored with a superbly controlled hook shot which dipped under the bar.

Fife boss Barry Smith said: “I would have taken a point as time ran out. I put on forward thinking players in a bid to win it, but I was disappointed to lose a goal from a corner.

“We were disappointing in the first half, but the boys knew they could play better. We can’t afford to give a team a goal of a start.

“We must look ahead to our next game against Albion Rovers and prepare properly. We have a good defensive record, but we lost two bad goals today.”