Brechin match-winner Bobby Barr believes he’s getting fitter week by week and is looking forward to helping City mount a serious challenge for a League One play-off spot following this important victory over struggling Arbroath.
The 25-year-old winger notched the only goal of the game eight minutes before the interval when he pounced to clip the ball beyond Scott Morrison after the Arbroath defence failed to clear a free-kick.
Barr was delighted to score but was more pleased by the fact that City had shrugged off any possible hangover from the previous weekend’s 5-1 mauling by Forfar.
He said: “It’s good to get back to winning and me scoring is just a bonus. But that’s three goals I’ve got in four games now and hopefully there’s more to come. I was struggling with a hernia problem earlier in the season but I had an operation in November and now I’m back in the side and beginning to get a bit sharper.
“I don’t see why we can’t challenge for a play-off spot. We have a good squad. We can play good football but today we showed another side to our character by grinding out a result.”
Brechin manager Ray McKinnon also hopes the win will kick-start a more consistent spell for the Glebe Park side.
He said: “It was important to get a result and I’m happy with that. We have been affected by injuries and suspensions this season and it’s difficult never being able to get the same team on the park.
“Even today we had only one fit player on the bench. It has been a real stop-start season, but hopefully we can move on from here.”
There was little to choose between the sides in the opening period until Barr struck in the 37th minute although Ewan Moyes had also come close for the visitors a few moments earlier with a powerful close-range header which Morrison did well to tip over the bar.
The Lichties looked brighter at the start to the second half and Graham Bayne was inches away from equalising with a shot that deflected off the back of Graeme Smith’s legs although whether the City keeper knew much about it is open for debate.
Bobby Linn then fired wildly over the top after Alan Cook created an opening. Player-manager Paul Sheerin then came close with a volley from the edge of the box.
The Lichties have now failed to win any of their last 12 games and have scored just once in their last four outings but the Arbroath boss remains upbeat.
Sheerin said: “The effort and application is there in abundance but we have to rectify not scoring and, the sooner we do that, the sooner we’ll start winning football matches again.
“It’s a long, hard road at the moment but one we’ll keep working on to turn the tide.We need to start picking up points “There’s no doubt we need to bring players in and we are working on that. The fans will be finding it tough but I really appreciate their patience. They know the players are giving everything they’ve got.”