Brechin City 4 Dumbarton 0

Last updated : 02 October 2004 By Footymad Previewer

A second half hat-trick from Paul Ritchie helped Brechin to a resounding victory over Dumbarton.

Brechin went close to opening the scoring after 16 minutes when a shot on the turn from Chris Templeman came back off the post.

After 34 minutes Brechin went near again when a Steven Hampshire shot was cleared off the line by Iain Russell.

Brechin piled on the pressure just before the break, and a shot from Templeman was turned round the post by Stephen Grindlay. Then Kevin Byers beat two men and fired in a shot which Grindlay again did well to save.

Brechin took the lead after 51 minutes when a Byers corner was missed by Grindlay and David White side-footed home on the back post.

Brechin extended their lead in the 69th minute when a back-heel from Templeman put Ritchie in and he scored with a low drive.

It was 3-0 after 81 minutes when a Grant Johnson shot was saved by Grindlay and Ritchie squeezed the ball over the goalkeeper at the second attempt.

Ritchie completed his hat-trick and the scoring in the 85th minute when he beat a defender and drilled home a low shot.

Dumbarton kept battling right to the end and in stoppage time left-back Craig Brittain almost grabbed a consolation goal when his cross into the box was missed by everyone, and Craig Nelson had to plunge to his left to bring off a miraculous save.