Elgin defeated Brechin 2-1 after a fiercely contested match at Glebe Park.
The first opportunity of the night came Brechin’s way after 10 minutes when a Scott Reekie drive was tipped round the post by Tom McHale and the hosts threatened again seven minutes later when McHale held a Gregor Jordan header following a corner.
Both teams were pushing forward in search of the opening goal and Kane Hester should have done better in the 22nd minute when he found space for himself in the Brechin box but he fired the ball wide of the target from a great position.
Brechin hit back and a Chris McKee pile-driver was tipped over the bar by McHale.
But the hosts made the vital breakthrough in the 29th minute when Connor Barron picked up the ball just within his own half and forced his way forward into the Elgin half before drilling a right-foot drive past the outstretched arms of McHale.
Elgin hit back immediately and a 20-yard thunderbolt from Smart Osadolar came crashing back off the bar and the same player came close again in the 37th minute when he glanced a header wide of the post.
It took Elgin only a couple of minutes of the second half to level the match, with Hester converting from the penalty spot after Yusuf Hussein had handled the ball in the box, with the defender being shown the red card by the referee.
However, City should have regained the advantage in the 55th minute when Reekie side-footed past the post from a couple of yards out.
Elgin were now making their extra man count and were enjoying the lion’s share of pressure and possession but Brechin were defending valiantly.
The visitors were a shade unlucky not to grab the lead in the 67th minute when Conor O’Keefe sent a right-foot drive just wide of the target.
Hester missed an even better opportunity in the 73rd minute when he scooped the ball past the post with the goal at his mercy.
Elgin were piling on the pressure and it paid off with seven minutes remaining when Darryl McHardy rose above the home defence to power home a header from an Archie McPhee corner.
