Scorer ~ Brechin City : James Smith (5)

Three reds, eight yellows and the amazing total of 58 (that’s fifty-eight!) fouls. What a dirty, thuggish game this was! Well, given the statistics, that’s what you would assume, but you’d be wrong, for it was nothing of the kind. Oh, it was hard, it was aggressive and it was certainly compulsive viewing, but then that’s par for Rovers/Brechin matches.

The difference this time was that the man-in-the-middle was Cammy Melville, surely one of the most incompetent officials of all time and a man who single-handedly could have wrecked the Cliftonhill side’s promotion aspirations for this season. For until the final quarter of an hour, during which he red-carded Jamie McKenzie, Steve Hamilton and Todd Lumsden, Rovers were looking as if they might get the goal which would restore equality. Even then, John McVeigh’s lads pushed forward and gave the visiting defence more than one anxious moment, but the task was just too much, and City scampered off with the points.

During the last few seasons, we’ve seen a few dreadful refereeing displays, but this one took the biscuit!

Apart from all this, things started badly for Rovers who found themselves a goal down after only five minutes. Brechin, looking slightly more lively, won a free-kick about thirty yards out. Kevin Fotheringham slipped the ball sideways to James Smith whose cracking drive beat the defensive wall and the diving Chris Fahey, restored to the number one position. Only a further five minutes had passed when City came within inches of doubling their lead. A great cross by Charlie King was met by veteran Roddy Grant whose header flipped off the top of the crossbar. At the other end, Charlie McLean skipped down the left but visiting ‘keeper Kevin McKeown had an easy job to hold his cross.

Chris Templeman’s low drive was well held by Fahey, then McKenzie’s cross was cleared off the Brechin line before City’s Grant and Smith, then Rovers’ McLean and McKenzie found themselves facing yellow cards. In the 37th minute, Fahey saved Rovers from falling further behind when he dived to turn Grant’s goal-bound header round a post. A brilliant save! Right on the whistle, a powerful Todd Lumsden header was cleared off the line and a strong claim for a penalty was ignored.

Following substitute Chris Silvestro’s booking in the opening minute, the second half of this match degenerated into pure pantomime, with referee Melville the object of much vilification from both sets of supporters, but mainly those rooting for the home team. McLean tried a snap shot which was a couple of feet off course and for City, Greg Miller screwed wide when it looked odds-on that he would find the net. Harry Cairney was lucky to receive only a warning after downing Stewart Easton then Chris Templeman cut in from the left only to see his final shot blocked.

Shortly after this, Mr Melville really started to make his mark. Firstly he booked Lumsden for an offence which was far from clear and in the 76th minute dismissed captain Steve Hamilton with a straight red for an alleged "dig" at an opponent. then City’s Derek Clark was booked before McKenzie - already on a yellow - again got involved in an incident and joined his skipper in the dressing room. Rovers were now obviously struggling in certain areas of the field and it got even worse when Mr Melville decided that Lumsden was guilty of a crude tackle and sent him packing also. To the fans, this particular incident looked comparatively innocent, but the pathetically poor referee saw different.

Down to eight men, Rovers set to with a will but the numerical deficiency was just too much and the points were on their way to Angus.

Albion Rovers Man of the Match : Todd Lumsden

Albion Rovers : Fahey, McKenna, Lumsden, Hamilton, Easton, Booth, Waldie, McKenzie, McLean (McCormick 62), Diack (Silvestro 43), Harty. Unused Subs : Smith, Burrows, Shearer.

Brechin City : McKeown, Clark, Miller (Bain 72), J Smith, Cairney, Fotheringham, Templeman, Riley, Grant (Donnachie 72), Campbell, King, (D Smith 79). Unused Subs : Black McLeod.

Referee : Cammy Melville