Champions Brechin City started the new Breedon Highland League season with a 1-0 win over nine-man Formartine United at Glebe Park.
Ewan Loudon’s 77th minute penalty was the difference between the sides, although the Hedgemen were frustrated for long period by the visitors.
The Pitmedden side were hampered by having Paul Campbell sent off just before the half hour mark and Johnny Crawford was dismissed in stoppage time.
Prior to kick-off Brechin were presented with the championship flag in recognition of last season’s triumph.
The home side handed league debuts to summer signings Chris Mudie and Spencer Moreland with fellow new recruits Seth Patrick, Stuart Heenan and Ewan White on the bench.
Formartine had Aberdeen loanee in their line-up, with another summer addition, Jake Stewart, on the bench.
Early action
It was City that had the first effort at goal in the early stages with Moreland firing over from just inside the penalty area.
United threatened in the 11th minute when they pinched possession high up the pitch and Daniel Park released Emslie on the left.
His low cutback found Julian Wade but Hamish Thomson made a great block to send the ball wide of the target.
The action in the final third dried up a touch after that but there was plenty of tousy tackles and referee Greg Soutar had to get his yellow card out.
Formartine were dealt a major blow on 29 minutes when Campbell was sent off. The striker had been booked nine minutes earlier for catching Michael McArthur with an elbow.
Then as Campbell tussled with Euan Spark he was deemed to have caught the defender’s head with his elbow or forearm and ref Soutar was on the spot and quickly showed second yellow card and a red.
Brechin understandably got a lift from that and pressed for the opener. Mudie blasted a half-volley over then Fraser MacLeod exchanged passes with Marc Scott before stinging goalkeeper Ewen Macdonald’s palms with a shot from the edge of the box.
MacLeod had another go on 35 minutes after more intricate build-up play with Macdonald parrying his low effort before Grady McGrath fired the rebound into the side-netting from a tight angle.
Search for the opener
The start of second period followed a similar pattern with Brechin on the front foot, but Formartine were holding firm.
On 55 minutes Scott and Moreland combined on the right, but the latter’s cross evaded everyone in the centre.
Midway through the half Formartine posed a threat with Stuart Smith’s ball into the box finding Aaron Norris in space, but a poor touch meant a shooting chance was gone.
The game was becoming increasingly scrappy and Brechin were struggling to move the ball with the required fluency to open their opponents up.
As time ticked down McGrath looped a header onto the roof of the net.
But with 13 minutes left the Hedgemen found the breakthrough they desired. Rhys Thomas’ sliding challenge sent a Brechin trialist, believed to be Liam Duell, to ground inside the area.
Once referee Soutar pointed to the spot Loudon fired into the bottom left corner.
In stoppage time City could have added to the score but Duell scuffed a shot wide from eight yards.
Then in the third minute of injury time Formartine’s Crawford was sent off for a sliding challenge on MacLeod, with Soutar showing the defender a straight red.
But right at the end United could have snatched a point when Adams’ header from Macdonald’s free-kick bounced off the junction of post and bar before Brechin scrambled it clear.
