Jeanfield Swifts manager Ross Gunnion had no complaints about the outcome of Saturday afternoon’s Scottish Cup round one match against Brechin City.
The Highland League leaders, in the end, ran out comfortable winners in front of a bumper Riverside crowd which approached the 500 mark.
After a first half without score, Brechin soon upped the tempo and goals from Grady McGrath, Euan Spark and Anthony McDonald had them clear.
An own goal did give Swifts a glimmer of hope but late finishes from Jordan Northcott and another from McGrath wrapped up the away win.
Speaking to the Perthshire Advertiser, Gunnion said: “The scoreline itself is harsh but we can have no complaints that Brechin deserved to win the tie.
“It’s just disappointing that we couldn’t give the fantastic turnout of nearly 500 people something to cheer about, but we thank them all for their incredible support.”
Brechin entered the tie as favourites and had the ball in the net in the opening minutes but McDonald was ruled offside.
Soon Swifts would have a chance of their own, however, when Chris McLeish sent a crisp volley from distance on the swivel narrowly wide of the post.
His quick-thinking approach had taken the majority of the Riverside by surprise and indeed goalkeeper Lenny Wilson looked concerned as he scrambled across his line.
Swifts’ defence was battling admirably with Kieran Sweeney and Aaron Whitehead teaming up nicely in the heart of it. Behind them, goalkeeper Sam Townsley was performing very well.
There was no score to report as the half-time whistle arrived but the Perth underdogs would be encouraged that this tie was very much there for the taking.
Townsley was called into action early in the second half and was at full stretch to
tip McGrath’s attempt around the post.
But the Brechin forward opened the scoring in the 50th minute when he broke clear into the box and toe-poked the ball low into the back of the net.
It looked likely to be two just shy of the hour mark when Northcott navigated around Townsley but lifted high over the bar with the goal at his mercy.
A second did arrive with 62 minutes on the clock when a wicked free-kick from the right flank was turned in from close range by Spark and, not long after, there was a third.
This time McDonald was on hand to clinically finish off a cut-back from the left.
There was a slight bit of hope for Swifts when a Chris Scott cross was turned into the net by a Brechin defender with 74 minutes played. Suddenly, there was more of a spring to the step.
Soon Sweeney rose well from a long free-kick and nodded down deep inside the box and substitute Dayle Robertson was close to turning home.
Gary Fergus almost pulled another back with a crisp strike from the edge of the box which hit the top of the cross bar. It certainly would’ve made the final moments interesting.
But up the other end Brechin killed the game off when Northcott nudged over the line from a couple yards out and then, in the 90th minute, McGrath rounded off the scoring.
“I thought we were playing well in the first half and limited Brechin to very few chances, whilst having one or two of our own,” Gunnion said.
“At the break we were keen to press home that the game was going to be tough in the second half but that we were capable of improving on our first half performance.
“Unfortunately we conceded the first goal and a very quick second thereafter, which made it very hard for us to get back into the game.
“We changed the formation at that point and at 3-1 we were pressing to get another.
“If a Gary Fergus effort is an inch or two lower then we get back to 3-2 and I think we have a chance of forcing extra time. But it hits the bar and that is how football goes sometimes.
“Credit to Brechin, they were very clinical on the counter attack as we pressed forward to try and get back in the game.”
