Brechin see off below par Binos

Oct 22 2008 by Stephen Robertson, Stirling Observer Wednesday

ALBION suffered their first home defeat of the season to top dogs Brechin on Saturday as they paid a heavy price for sloppiness.

The first half can only be described as poor from the Binos’ point of view with the midfield and backline looking nervy, while they also failed to make any meaningful in-roads up front.

City certainly had the best of the opening exchanges and had two great chances within the first ten minutes.

In eight minutes, hesitancy from Albion allowed a wicked cross from the right to flash right across their six yard box and, with the defence static, Gary Twigg was just inches away from connecting to prod it home as he slid in at the back post.

Two minutes later Stirling rode their luck again. Carelessness once more gifted Brechin possession and the resultant ball into the Albion area eventually fell at the feet of Michael Paton who somehow managed to put his attempt past the post from six yards out when it looked easier to score.

Albion continued to look jittery at the back as the first half wore on with both Ross Forsyth and Andy Graham miscontrolling passes dangerously in their own half.

Going forward, things weren’t much better. There was a glimmer of hope on the edge of the Brechin box on 16 minutes, John O’Neill up alongside Ian Harty combining with a one two but this fizzled out. Harty also chanced his luck with an overhead kick on 19 minutes but didn’t catch it full on and O’Neill was thereafter rightly flagged offside.

A minute later O’Neill and Harty combined again, the assistant manager winning a header to knock it down to Harty on the edge of the box but the striker skewed his snapshot well wide.

Albion continued to live on the edge at the back, gifting the ball to Brechin far too often and you had to wonder when City would finally punish them. Five minutes before the break was the answer, and it was a moment that Nathan Taggart will want to forget.

He picked up the ball inside his own half and tried to play his way out but was hopelessly caught in possession. Brechin were quickly streaming forward and the ball soon found its way to Twigg on the edge of the penalty area who placed a well controlled shot low past Myles Hogarth.

A total rollicking from boss Allan Moore was undoubtedly delivered at the interval and Albion at least came out fighting in the second half.

A ball into the box by Martin Grehan after 51 minutes saw John O’Neill attempt an overhead kick this time but City keeper Craig Nelson had it covered and tipped it over.

Hopes of an Albion revival were dealt a blow just 60 seconds later, though, as Brechin got their second. An Albion attack was again broken down and City swiftly moved the ball to Michael Paton wide left. He managed to get the cross in and it fell to a largely unchallenged Kevin Byers on the far side of the area who unleashed a superb low shot that gave Hogarth no chance.

Moore, opted to change personnel, bringing on Chris Hamilton for Taggart on 54 minutes.

Just a minute later, Albion had a goal back. Good work by Harty saw him firing the ball into the area. Craig Molloy did well to slip a cute pass to Grehan who lashed his shot past Nelson.

Things were beginning to look a bit better for Albion, with Hamilton providing a bit of pace out wide, as they went in search of the equaliser.

Shots from O’Neill in 65 minutes and Molloy a minute later followed but neither seriously troubled Nelson.

Brechin by now were happy to sit in and hit Albion on the break while Moore threw on Liam Corr for Mark Docherty in 73 minutes.

Albion had probably their best chance to bag the equaliser in 77 minutes after good work by Hamilton on the right. He fed the ball to Harty inside the box who flicked it to Grehan but his shot was comfortably parried away by the Brechin keeper.

Another chance went begging four minutes later and it was Grehan again who probably feels he could have done better. Hamilton played in a teasing ball from the right but Grehan seemed to get caught under it and headed tamely over.

With David McKenna on for David Lowing with eight minutes remaining , Moore was now going for it.

A controversial moment four minutes from time then had the away fans raging. A long ball was launched from inside the Brechin half with Twigg well advanced and clearly in an offside position. There was no flag from the linesman but when Hogarth took a touch as he prepared to launch it forward, Twigg nipped in, dispossessed the Albion keeper and netted, only to look across to see that the linesman had had a change of heart with that flag. The old active/inactive debate is probably still raging in Brechin. No goal though – and Albion were still in the hunt.

Over four minutes of stoppage time were played but in the end the Binos just couldn’t find the goal that they needed.

Ayr United, away, are next up for Albion this Saturday and any repeat of their first half showing against the table-toppers at the weekend could spell big trouble.

Albion: Hogarth, Graham, Lowing (McKenna 82), Lawrie, Forsyth, O'Neill, Taggart (Hamilton 54), Molloy, Harty, Docherty (Corr 73), Grehan.

Subs (not used): Murphy, Christie.

Brechin: Craig Nelson, Walker, Dyer, White, Seeley, Janczyk (Adam Nelson 78), Byers, Nimmo, Twigg (Calum Smith 87), Paton, King (Darren Smith 60).

Subs (not used): Murie, Scott.

Referee: Brian Winter