Brechin climb back to top after Can Cans see red over penalty

A highly contentious penalty a minute from time clinched victory for Brechin City over Forres Mechanics at Glebe Park and moved City back to the top of the Breedon Highland League table.

The Can Cans grabbed the lead after 21 minutes when Jack Grant picked up the ball at the edge of the Brechin box and unleashed a blistering right-foot drive into the bottom corner of the net.

City fought back and levelled in the 67th minute when Marc Scott poked the ball home following a goalmouth scramble.

City had the bulk of pressure thereafter but were finding it difficult to prise open the visitors’ determined defence with a share of the spoils looking the likely outcome.

But with a minute remaining City were awarded a penalty after Forres keeper Stuart Knight was penalised for a foul on Grady McGrath.

Referee Robin Taylor immediately pointed to the spot which incensed the Forres players with Dale Wood being shown a straight red card for foul and abusive language and both managers also being shown yellow cards following a touchline row.

McGrath stepped up to blast the spot-kick high into the top corner of the net to clinch victory for his side and send them back to the top of the table.

Brechin boss Andy Kirk said: “One thing about this group of players is they never give up and they got their reward.

“Sometimes you just have to be patient but getting three points is the most important thing.”

Forres counterpart Steven MacDonald took a different view and felt the red card shown to his player was also incorrect.

“Stuart Knight is a really honest lad and he is adamant that McGrath took a dive for the penalty,” he said.

“The referee also sent Dale Wood off for abusive language which he said was directed towards him but Dale is insistent that his comments were made to McGrath for diving.”

• Inverurie Locos bounced back from their Aberdeenshire Shield quarter-final loss against Huntly in style with a 4-3 win against Banks o’ Dee at Spain Park.

The result leaves Bank o’ Dee bottom of the Highland League table on two points following their 24-point deduction due to player registration issues.

Locos boss Richard Hastings said: “It was a very good performance.

“I was particularly impressed by our workrate, control of the ball and being effective on the ball.”

After a very strong start by Locos, Dee took the lead in 22 minutes through former Locos forward Neil Gauld.

The striker was brought down in the penalty area and he beat his close friend Andy Reid from the spot with the Locos stopper guessing right but unable to keep the ball out.

The visitors equalised eight minutes later when Garry Wood headed home a Logan Johnstone cross.

Jamie Michie gave Locos the lead after 41 minutes when he waltzed through the home defence before firing beyond Ross Salmon.

A mistake by Salmon allowed Locos to grab a third on the stroke of half-time with Lloyd Robertson laying the ball off for Wood to drive home number three.

Dee had the wind advantage after the break but a fourth goal came for Locos in 70 minutes when Robert Ward volleyed confidently into the corner of the net.

The home side, to their credit, pushed for a way back into the game with Rob Armstrong cutting the ball back for Lachie MacLeod to tap home five minutes later.

Dee substitute Hamish MacLeod fired a left-footed shot from the edge of the area beyond Reid to make the final score 4-3 to Locos.

Banks o’ Dee boss Jamie Watt said: “We were playing into a very strong wind which was always going to be tough.

“The goals we conceded were due to amateurish defending and we weren’t winning 50-50 balls in the middle of the park.

“If we’d gone in only one behind at the break it wouldn’t have been so bad with the wind at our backs, but at this level you get punished for schoolboy defending.”