East Craigie v Brechin Vics (Stephen Durcan, East Craigie)

The mild weather brought festive football to Dundee with league leaders East Craigie entertaining Brechin Victoria. The hosts had a couple of milestones to aim for.....a win to make it 10 out of 10 at home this season and a single goal to make it a phenomenal 50 scored at Craigie Park. The visitors arrived encouraged by a good away record which had brought 4 wins out of the 7 played. The last game of 2019 and the first chance to burn off the Christmas pudding.

A blistering start from the Vics had Craigie unusually on the back foot. Within 2 minutes of the opening whistle Duff planted a perfect cross to the far post and Starkey headed narrowly wide. Craigie's George Johnston did hit back when finding space and driving over but back came the determined Angus side with, first a thundering shot smashing the post, then a lovely free kick from Fraser 20 yards out which was pushed away by keeper Liam Dunn as it headed for the top corner.

The Shipbuilders responded in impressive style just seconds later as Johnston raced upfield, saw his shot blocked by the keeper, but PAUL MORAN swept home the loose ball to complete the first Craigie milestone of 50 home goals scored this season. On 17 minutes the goalscorer then pulled a free-kick wide of the near post. High drama three minutes later as home defender James Malone conceded a penalty when bringing down last man Starkey as he raced towards goal. Even more drama as keeper Dunn pulled off an almighty save to deny Fraser from the resulting spot-kick. More misery for the Vics as defender Graham limped off injured midway through the half.

Johnston shot wide of the far post as the hosts began to dominate play before 50 pairs of eyes shot over to an off the ball incident by the far touchline which resulted in Brechin's Starkey and Craigie's Grant Paterson being sent off.   This was a culmination of a series of petty niggles and certainly not an exchange of Christmas cards but the referee was quick to restore festive spirit as the incident threatened to escalate. Back to the real action with Ross McNaughton spinning on the spot and feeding the ball to the inrushing Rory Faulkner who slammed a shot towards goal from close range but Grant pulled off a terrific save. McNaughton then tried a shot from distance himself but the ball was always rising and sailed harmlessly wide. Exhale and relax after a dramatic first half.

HALF-TIME: East Craigie 1 Brechin Vics 0

The busy McNaughton opened the second period by firing over the Brechin crossbar before Adam Brown's ball in from the right was nodded over by the quick-thinking Faulkner. On 62 minutes East Craigie had the ball in the net but the referee chalked off Johnston's header for offside after a neat cross in from Moran. Where was the VAR when you needed it as this looked very marginal?

Johnston was unlucky again seconds later when driving wide of the far post as the hosts began to totally dominate play. On 71 minutes East Craigie doubled their lead following scintillating work down the right flank from Faulkner. The striker slipped the ball to BROWN who watched as his initial effort was blocked but he steered home the rebound. Defender Scott then clipped the heels of Faulkner in the box but shouts from the home support for a penalty went unheeded.

The Vics defence was split down the middle in the 83rd minute as JOHNSTON raced through unchallenged to steer home his first and East Craigie's third. Substitute BEN GARRICK (on the field for all of two minutes) then put the icing on the Craigie cake three minutes from time when he latched onto Brown's cross from the right to wrap up a convincing victory and make it ten wins from ten at an unbreached Craigie Park. The second half one-way traffic culminated in McNaughton firing wide from distance as the hosts saw the year out in style.

FINAL SCORE: East Craigie 4 Brechin Vics 0

EAST CRAIGIE: Dunn, Malone, Paterson, Howett, Brannan, McNaughton, Brown, MacLeod, Faulkner, Johnston (Garrick 85), Moran. UNUSED: Conway, Reekie, Ramsay.

BRECHIN VICS: Grant, Scott, Ferries, Graham (Renilson 23), Welsh, Longmuir (Jones 58), Starkey, Fraser, Boath (Rogerson 83), Duff, Henderson. UNUSED: Smith.

MAN OF THE MATCH: Adam Brown