A Brechin shop in a prime town centre location is being offered at auction The property on the corner of High Street and Swan Street will go under the hammer on Thursday Future Property Auctions is opening bidding on the ground floor shop at £46,000 The property is over three floors including a basement and covers just over 130 sq m It is described by the sellers as a “superb commercial investment” The listing adds: “The property may suit multiple uses “There could be potential to run as a hot food takeaway An annual rental income of more than £10,000 is described as realistic The vacant shop has been occupied by a variety of businesses kitchen and bathroom outlet and printed clothing shop It was previously offered at auction in 2023 Another nearby shop is in the same auction with a £17,000 opening price It is a former vape business at 20 Swan Street A monthly rental of around £375 is forecast And the sale features an attractive residential Brechin prospect Cemetery Lodge has a guide price of £147,000 three-bedroom detached home sits off Southesk Street at the entrance to the town graveyard Comments are currently disabled as they require cookies and it appears you've opted out of cookies on this site. To participate in the conversation, please adjust your cookie preferences in order to enable comments Kevin Ferguson repeatedly attacked two young girls in Brechin and Montrose, Angus, between 2017 and 2023. The 43-year-old already had a lengthy criminal record, including two high court convictions for serious physical violence. Ferguson pleaded guilty in May 2024 to raping one of the children and sexually assaulting the other. Sentencing had been repeatedly adjourned for a full risk assessment to be carried out on Ferguson. On Tuesday, Lord Arthurson at the High Court in Glasgow imposed an Order for Lifelong Restriction. Ferguson must also serve a minimum of five years in jail. The judge noted the assessment had concluded the rapist had “anti-social and psychopathic personality disorders” as well as displaying “some borderline narcissistic traits”. Ferguson had shown “no empathy” for his victims and had been a “high level of risk”. Lord Arthurson warned Ferguson he will not automatically be freed at the end of the five-year term. It may be he is never released. The court previously heard how the earlier of the two young victims had told a relative what happened, but no action was taken at that time. The other girl later raised concerns about Ferguson. Asked why, the child stated: “Because he is a paedophile.” The youngster admitted she had not spoken about her ordeal earlier as she “feared she would not be believed”. Prosecutor Kath Harper KC told how Ferguson was later confronted and appeared shocked stating: “What the f***?” However, via social media, he confessed to a friend that he had “ruined his life” and was a “f*****g monster”. Ferguson was traced at a car park in Balmaha in Stirlingshire. Jonathan Crowe, defending, told a previous hearing that the crimes marked a radical departure from his previous offending. The advocate: “He wishes to express a public apology to those involved in this behaviour. “He recognises the horror of this offending.” STV News is now on WhatsAppGet all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Follow STV News on WhatsAppScan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country '+scriptOptions._localizedStrings.webview_notification_text+' "+scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_title+" "+scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_text+" McHattie own goal put Premiership side in front after Dhanda leveller Substitute Bright's strike gave Highland League Brechin 1-0 lead Premiership outfit Hearts had too much quality in the end for fifth-tier Brechin City at least there will always be that Scott Bright goal 275Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingScottish Cup Saturday to followpublished at 22:00 Greenwich Mean Time 17 January22:00 GMT 17 JanuaryThere is still so much more Scottish Cup action to come tomorrow We'll be around the grounds as 11 games kick-off at 3pm before we bring live commentary from Parkhead on BBC Radio Scotland as Celtic host Kilmarnock (5:30pm kick-off) Gordon Moffat's Clydebank take on Hibernian at Easter Road tomorrow afternoon 125Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPostpublished at 21:59 Greenwich Mean Time 17 January21:59 GMT 17 JanuaryFT: Brechin City 1-4 Hearts More from Hearts boss Neil Critchley: "We weren't good enough against Hibs that day [during Boxing Day defeat] but there had been signs before and after that that we're improving refreshed the group and that'll be important for the second half of the season." 184Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharing'We needed a moment of quality' - Critchleypublished at 21:58 Greenwich Mean Time 17 January21:58 GMT 17 JanuaryFT: Brechin City 1-4 Hearts Hearts manager Neil Critchley tells BBC Scotland: "It's job done "Scoring soon into the second half settled us down We've done the job and we're into the next round "It was a great strike [from Scott Bright] but up until that we'd been doing OK in the game The longer it goes at 1-0 the nerves and anxiety grows we needed that moment of quality to get us back in the game you look to the staff around you and make sure you're giving appropriate advice to the players That's not going to look the same in the first 20 minutes remembered how to play good football we started to make things more comfortable for ourselves." 204Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharing'We felt we deserved more' - Sheridanpublished at 21:56 Greenwich Mean Time 17 January21:56 GMT 17 JanuaryFT: Brechin City 1-4 Hearts Brechin striker Cillian Sheridan tells BBC Scotland: "The first 30-35 minutes we were worth our lead There's a little bit of disappointment to lose the way we lost we probably felt we deserved a little bit more." 1517Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharing'Stuff of dreams' - Brightpublished at 21:55 Greenwich Mean Time 17 January21:55 GMT 17 JanuaryFT: Brechin City 1-4 Hearts Brechin defender Scott Bright tells BBC Scotland: "Everyone shouts shoot and you just have to hit it Most of the time that'll go flying over the fence and you never see the ball again I just remember the strike and then everyone was on top of me 301Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingDhanda admits Brechin 'started better'published at 21:53 Greenwich Mean Time 17 January21:53 GMT 17 JanuaryFT: Brechin City 1-4 Hearts Hearts midfielder Yan Dhanda tells BBC Scotland: "We had a job to do and had to get it done they went 1-0 up and probably started better than us "We knew we'd get chances so when the first came we knew we'd get more." 231Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharing'I like to be important' - Kabangupublished at 21:50 Greenwich Mean Time 17 January21:50 GMT 17 JanuaryFT: Brechin City 1-4 Hearts Hearts striker Elton Kabangu tells BBC Scotland: "It is a typical Scottish game I knew from the beginning it would be a game like this 493Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharing'Brechin struggled under pressure'published at 21:49 Greenwich Mean Time 17 January21:49 GMT 17 JanuaryFT: Brechin City 1-4 Hearts Craig LeveinFormer Hearts manager on BBC Sportsound Hearts turned the screw in the second half Once Brechin were under pressure in the second half 156Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingWATCH: Hearts take lead against Brechinpublished at 21:45 Greenwich Mean Time 17 January21:45 GMT 17 JanuaryFT: Brechin City 1-4 Hearts 198Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharing'Hearts got on top after second goal'published at 21:43 Greenwich Mean Time 17 January21:43 GMT 17 JanuaryFT: Brechin City 1-4 Hearts Darren DodsFormer Brechin City manager on BBC Sportscene Losing that early goal in the second half allowed Hearts to increase the intensity and get on top They did not get much pressure on Hearts in the second half Hearts were able to dominate and keep Brechin camped in their own half 216Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPostpublished at 21:40 Greenwich Mean Time 17 January21:40 GMT 17 JanuaryFT: Brechin City 1-4 Hearts The home fans gives their team a brilliant reception come full-time as the players head over to applaud their support A sold out Glebe Park caught a cracking cup tie tonight 390Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingFULL-TIME Brechin City 1-4 Heartspublished at 21:37 Greenwich Mean Time 17 January21:37 GMT 17 JanuaryElton Kabangu's second half double seals Hearts' place in the Scottish Cup fifth round draw 6519Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPostpublished at 90 mins90 minsBrechin City 1-4 Hearts 133Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPostpublished at 88 mins88 minsBrechin City 1-4 Hearts Scott Logan and Ryan Ferguson replace Marc Scott and Ewan Loudon 121Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingCLOSE!published at 86 mins86 minsBrechin City 1-4 Hearts Great work once more by James Penrice down the left 228Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingA big night for this manpublished at 85 mins85 minsBrechin City 1-4 Hearts 6913Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPostpublished at 21:27 Greenwich Mean Time 17 January21:27 GMT 17 JanuaryBrechin City 1-4 Hearts 2924Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPostpublished at 81 mins81 minsBrechin City 1-4 Hearts Hearts defender Gerald Taylor returns from injury and will play the last 10 minutes in Angus Recent arrival Jamie McCart makes way for the Costa Rican loanee 223Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharing'Wilson pass is excellent'published at 21:25 Greenwich Mean Time 17 January21:25 GMT 17 JanuaryBrechin City 1-4 Hearts James McFaddenFormer Scotland forward on BBC Scotland You do feel for Brechin but Hearts have looked really good in this second half you can understand why he'd want to get on the scoresheet himself but it's really good for him to play in Kabangu 3811Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingprevious pagePage 1 of 7123456…7next pageThis video can not be played Hearts came from behind to ease past Highland League side Brechin City and progress to the fifth round of the Scottish Cup. First-half substitute Scott Bright fired Brechin in front with a magnificent 35-yard strike in what was his second game for the Angus club. Neil Critchley's Premiership side appeared to struggle with the conditions and it took another wonder goal to get Hearts level before the break as Yan Dhanda curled beyond Lenny Wilson. Hearts took the lead early in the second half when Elton Kabangu floated a dangerous cross into the hosts' penalty area and defender Kevin McHattie's attempted clearance carried the ball towards goal as Kenneth Vargas attempted to get the final touch. Kabangu scored his first Hearts goals with a tidy finish and a conversion off James Wilson's inch-perfect pass. Potential Scottish Cup upsets, a city derby & big TV days out Tears & memories as Clydebank make emotional Leith return 'I couldn't even dream it' - Fraserburgh chief on Ibrox trip Home captain Euan Spark had injured himself while committing a foul, for which he was booked, and Bright, 18, came on as the skipper's replacement. And, within minutes, the teenager thundered the hosts in front with a low shot that smacked off the inside of the post and past Craig Gordon. An equally impressive strike from Hearts got them back level as Dhanda scored his first goal on home soil for the club, cutting inside on the left and sending the ball beyond the diving Wilson. After setting up the goal that put Hearts in front, January loan signing Kabunga did ever so well to get himself on the scoresheet when he picked up a loose ball bobbling in the box and slotted home. And he doubled his tally with 10 minutes to play when he was set up unselfishly by youngster Wilson to calmly finish into the bottom right corner with the aid of a deflection. 'Hearts remembered how to play' - Critchley Hearts manager Neil Critchley: "It's job done. It was a good goal from Yan Dhanda, that settled us down. "Scoring soon into the second half settled us down, we played some nice football. We've done the job and we're into the next round." Brechin City scorer Scott Bright: "Everyone shouts, 'shoot' and you just have to hit it. Most of the time that'll go flying over the fence and you never see the ball again, this time I nailed it. "I haven't seen the goal back, I can hardly remember it. I just remember the strike and then everyone was on top of me. It's the stuff you dream of." 'Astonishing' - Brechin take lead against Hearts Sheridan at 61 minutesSubstituteshome team Sheridan at 61 minutesSubstitutesNumber 15 Wilson Match OfficialsReferee: Grant IrvineAssistant Referee 1: Graham McNeillieAssistant Referee 2: Alastair TaylorMatch StatsKey Hearts booked passage to the next round of the Scottish Cup after defeating Brechin City 4-1 at Glebe Park Elton Kabangu scored a brace in his first goals for the club whilst a peach from Yan Dhanda and a Kevin McHattie own goal wrapped up the win in Angus The Jambos fashioned the first chance after eight minutes as Kenneth Vargas sent a bullet header whizzing wide of the post following a cute delivery from Yan Dhanda on the right and stormed up the park moments later as Marc Scott sent a low drive into Gordon’s side netting Brechin were forced into shuffling the pack early in the first half after skipper Euan Spark went off injured after hurting himself challenging Elton Kabangu near the touchline with Scott Bright coming on as his replacement as Bright collected the ball on the edge of the box and let fire from distance his effort crashing in beyond the reach of Craig Gordon as Brechin claimed the lead after 26 minutes Hearts huffed and puffed against an industrious and hard working Brechin side but the equaliser would arrive five minutes before half-time as Yan Dhanda curled a sumptuous effort beyond Lenny Wilson from the edge of the box Hearts claimed another early into the second 45 as Kevin McHattie accidentally turned the ball into his own net whilst attempting to deal with Elton Kabangu’s dangerous ball from the left And provider turned scorer as Kabangu grabbed his maiden goal for Hearts with a fine finish from inside the box after he received Kenneth Vargas’s square ball across goal on the hour mark stopping a good Hearts breakaway as he made himself big to deny what looked a Jorge Grant effort destined for goal after 73 minutes The Belgian would grab his second of the evening after 78 minutes as Hearts punished Brechin for losing the ball on the edge of the box Substitute James Wilson unselfishly squared for the striker who finished beyond Wilson It was a controlled and composed performance from Critchley’s men who comfortably dominated the second half to book safe passage to the fifth round © Copyright 2016 - 2025 Heart of Midlothian Second half goals from Aaron Essel and Connor Smith sent us beyond Brechin City in the SPFL Trust Trophy on Wednesday night The visitors had gone into the break ahead through striker Dayle Robertson but Essel levelled proceedings shortly after the interval with a downwards header It was left late but a lovely Connor Smith finish from Scott Bright’s delivery ensured we picked up the win at McDiarmid Park Fran Franczak showed off his attacking intent by working to the byline and sending a low delivery into the box Both Makenzie Kirk and Arran Cocks were positioned nicely and it was the latter who turned wide of the post from 12 yards Chances of the clear-cut variety were few and far between but Brechin’s Robertson opened the scoring in the 29th minute with a neat low finish with his left foot from deep inside the box Smith attempted to retaliate as the first half neared an end but his shot was always rising and comfortably cleared the crossbar Saints were level in the 50th minute thanks to Essel’s downwards header from a delightful Taylor Steven cross We were inches from being ahead moments later when Smith went close and then Kirk hit the post with an attempt on the stretch goalkeeper Craig Hepburn was alert to save a powerful Marc Scott attempt from a tight angle Saints had enjoyed a stronger second half and Bright was next to try his luck with a strike from distance Smith had a glorious chance to put us ahead with 83 minutes played when he lined-up a shot from the edge of the box cushioned finish from Bright’s cross Kirk almost added a third but his clever chipped effort hit the post.  We will now face East Fife away in the next round of the competition Our newsletterStay up to date with all things SaintsSign up to receive our newsletter to get our latest news and offers A man and a woman have died after a crash between a car and a coach near Brechin around 6.15pm on Friday following reports of a crash involving a blue Vauxhall Corsa and a Mercedes coach The 19-year-old male driver was taken to Ninewells Hospital with serious but not life-threatening injuries He has been arrested in connection with a road traffic offence The road was closed for several hours to allow for crash investigation work and reopened around 4am on Saturday Police are now appealing for anyone who witnessed the crash to come forward Sergeant Steve Livesey said: “Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the man and woman who died at this very difficult time for all “Enquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances and we are appealing to anyone who witnessed the crash to contact us “We also asking anyone who was driving in the area at the time to check if they have dash-cam footage that could help with our investigation.” Six fire engines were sent to the scene of the fire within the former Maison Dieu Church of Scotland building. Six fire engines were sent to the scene of the blaze at the former Maison Dieu Church of Scotland building on Witchden Road in Brechin on March 5. Firefighters spent about eight hours tackling the flames. The Maison Dieu Church of Scotland building was listed as “at risk” by the Buildings at Risk Register for Scotland and dates back to the 1800s. Firefighters spent about eight hours tackling the blaze that broke out on Wednesday afternoon. Police confirmed on Wednesday that two teenagers, aged 13 and 14, have been arrested and charged in connection with the fire. Detective constable Greig, Angus CID said: “I would like to thank members of the community for assisting us with our enquiries. Those responsible will be reported to the relevant authorities.” Supporters heading to Glebe Park on Friday for Hearts' Scottish Cup tie against Brechin City should read the following information Supporters without a ticket should not travel to the stadium Turnstiles will be open from 6pm and supporters are encouraged to arrive early to ease the flow of people entering the stadium The recommended travel route for buses is as follows: taking the Edzell junction slip road signposted Brechin At mini roundabout take the 1st left signposted Brechin B966 travelling underneath the flyover On approach to the 2nd mini roundabout take the first exit signposted B966 Brechin Travel through Trinity village and thereafter enter Brechin Continue southwards on Trinity Road and enter Glebe Park on your nearside Searching is a condition of entry and refusal to co-operate will result in entry being denied Supporters deemed to have consumed excess alcohol will be refused entry Fans are reminded not to attempt to bring any prohibited items into the stadium including pyrotechnics which are inherently unstable and dangerous to the user and those in proximity Unacceptable conduct will result in ejection from the stadium and any supporter who has been ejected will face sanctions in accordance with our unacceptable conduct policy Tributes have flooded in for a teenager who died in a road crash near Brechin A man and a woman died after a crash involving a car and a coach on the B9134 The woman has been named locally as 19-year-old Kaitlyn Kyle She posted: “Would like to inform everyone that my cousin Kaitlyn Kyle has passed away “She would have wanted her friends to know she cared about everyone so much so it’s only right that I take the time to let all her friends know “This is a very hard time for the family she was so loved by everyone such a bright smart beautiful young girl I love you so much Kaitlyn.” Hannah’s post received more than 100 reactions and dozens of responses from well-wishers One person posted: “She was my best friend and I’m so sorry for ur loss Another wrote: “Kaitlyn was such a beautiful bright energy “She was a great laugh as a young girl and a wonderful cousin for you “Sending enormous love to all the family and friends Police Scotland’s post on Saturday seeking witnesses also drew dozens of tributes One person wrote: “They just moved opposite me and my lad Kaitlyn and a fellow passenger, a 20-year-old man, were both pronounced dead at the scene The 19-year-old male driver was taken to Ninewells Hospital with serious but not life-threatening injuries “We also asking anyone who was driving in the area at the time to check if they have dash-cam footage that could help with our investigation Police are appealing for information into the incident that took place on Friday. Police are now appealing for information into the incident that took place on the B9134 at around 6.15pm on Friday. A blue Vauxhall Corsa was travelling between Brechin and Netherton when it collided with a Mercedes Coach. Emergency services attended and two passengers in the car, a 19-year-old woman and a 20-year-old man, were pronounced dead at the scene. The driver, a 19-year-old man, was taken to Ninewells Hospital in Dundee with serious but not life-threatening injuries. He has also been arrested in connection with a road traffic offence. The road was closed to allow for crash investigation work and reopened around 4am on Saturday. Sergeant Steve Livesey said: “Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the man and woman who died at this very difficult time for all. “Enquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances and we are appealing to anyone who witnessed the crash to contact us. “We are also asking anyone who was driving in the area at the time to check if they have dash-cam footage that could help with our investigation.” If you can help, please contact Police Scotland on 101.” Heart of Midlothian have been drawn away to Brechin City in the Scottish Cup The Jambos head to Glebe Park in Round Four action and will be played on the weekend of Saturday Relevant ticketing and broadcast information will follow in due course Two striking pagodas have been added to the Brechin skyline at the 200-year-old Glencadam distillery The addition of the Doig ventilators signals the latest significant milestone in the development of a new state-of-the-art visitor centre there It is set to open later this year as part of the distillery’s bicentenary celebrations Work has been ongoing at the Angus Dundee Distillers site for the past 12 months Single malt Scotch whisky has been produced at Glencadam in a process that’s remained unchanged for two centuries And as part of the visitor centre construction key architectural features have been reimagined These are designed to pay homage to the distillery’s treasured traditions inspired by the original Charles Doig architectural drawings from the distillery’s archive The newly-installed Doig ventilators have been reinterpreted as skylights Linear Design and Construct were appointed to carry out the Brechin project Angus Dundee Distillers projects manager Gary Milligan said: “The development of our new visitor centre marks an exciting chapter “This investment will create valuable job opportunities from hospitality and retail to guided tours and whisky experiences while also providing an economic boost to the area by attracting visitors from near and far “This project is a testament to our commitment to both our craft and our community ensuring Glencadam’s legacy continues to thrive for generations to come.” Recruitment is underway for the new visitor centre In 2021, a working water wheel was installed at the heart of the distillery as a nod to its 1825 origins A house at the entrance to Brechin Cemetery is going to auction is accessed by the bridge between Southesk Street and the graveyard The front door of the C-listed property is next to the gated entrance to the cemetery which is fitted with a range of appliances Attached to the kitchen is the family room This room has large windows which allow plenty of natural light in A modern shower room completes the ground floor The three double bedrooms and the family bathroom are found on the first floor The house benefits from electric heating and double glazing the enclosed garden is laid in gravel and gets plenty of sun There is a further outdoor area that can be rented from Angus Council There is access to the Cemetery Den park area next to the house while Brechin City’s stadium Glebe Park is just a stone’s throw away Future Property Auctions is handling the sale on Thursday with an opening bid of £147,000 Meanwhile, The Courier has taken a look at four castles for sale across Tayside, Fife and Stirling No decision will be taken on the rebuilding of Brechin after Storm Babet on the back of a new report due to go before councillors within weeks It is five months since specialists set out initial forecasts for dealing with the devastating aftermath of the October 2023 catastrophe Those centred on boosting the Angus town’s flood defences and replacing almost 60 council homes uninhabitable since the disaster The repair bill for the housing stock alone could run to £17 million after a round of consultation with people living in the worst-hit area of River Street councillors will receive the latest update after their spring recess But officials have stressed that May’s communities committee will not bring a final decision on the route to recovery It will open the door to a wider town consultation – and take the whole process closer to the two-year anniversary of the flood catastrophe in October Angus Council chiefs say they have been considering “specific feasibility and delivery practicalities” since two specialist reports were presented last November Those included several ideas around improving the flood defences Dredging the South Esk in Brechin has already been ruled out “Approaches have been narrowed down to three to four main options which set out the best possible positive flood recovery approaches,” the council said The progress report was delivered as part of a Brechin Beyond the Flood update But it added: “Options relating to the future of the council’s housing stock are more complex no immediate decisions will be made about this at the May meeting “We want to ensure the wider area has the opportunity to help shape the options around the stock.” The update comes amidst calls for a public inquiry into the demise of town engineering firm Matrix International The longstanding company’s US owners are set to end their presence in Brechin Its East Mill Road site is owned by local firm JJKS It was left under feet of water during Storm Babet One of the JJKS directors, Kevin Mackie, has criticised the council for not enhancing protection at The Inch after consultants flagged it as an option in 2021 Manager Steven Mackay is keen to repay Brora Rangers’ faith in him by bringing the Breedon Highland League title back to Dudgeon Park If the Cattachs win Saturday’s home against Rothes they will be crowned champions for the fifth time in their history Mackay has been involved in all four of the Sutherland outfit’s previous triumphs He played in the side which claimed back-to-back titles in 2014 and 2015 and was manager when Brora prevailed in the Covid-19 disrupted 2019-20 and 2020-21 campaigns But in August 2021 he resigned following a 6-2 loss to Fraserburgh and went on to have spells as Elgin City assistant manager and Nairn County boss before returning to the Cattachs’ hotseat last April Mackay said: “I was grateful to get the opportunity to come back to Brora last year “When I left I know people thought it was a snap decision but in my head it had been bubbling away for a while “I was trying to manage my work situation with working in the Central Belt and in England during the week and not seeing my children much because I was away a lot “It felt like I was a bit of a fraud in terms of commitment to the club and it’s a club I love dearly “I was turning up as and when I could for training and I just felt I wasn’t able to commit the time the club deserved “So I stepped away and pursued other opportunities and had different experiences “I was grateful for the opportunity to come back and hopefully I can repay the faith of the people at the club by bringing the title back to Dudgeon Park “Without question that day at Fraserburgh was the lowest point in my career as a player and a manager but if we could win the league that would be the highest point “Going away and seeing things at other clubs has made me a better manager and I came back to Brora a more rounded individual which has hopefully benefited the club.” Mackay also revealed that a desire to win the Highland League as a manager has been motivating him since his first spell as Brora gaffer because he discounts the 2020 and 2021 title victories due to both seasons being cut short In March 2020 the Cattachs were top of the table with 72 points from 26 games when the Covid-19 pandemic led to the remainder of the season being cancelled and they were declared champions following a Highland League management committee meeting During the following campaign Brora were top on goal difference after three games before coronavirus led to the Highland League having to shut down again and once more the Sutherland side were declared champions Mackay said: “Although they go down as league titles personally I’ve never counted either of them whether people think that’s right or wrong it’s just the way I feel about it “For me I’m treating this as the opportunity to win my first title as a manager “In 2020 it hit me quite hard because we were in a good position to win the league but we never got the opportunity to actually finish the job off because of Covid “The way I am my mindset is you don’t win something until you win it and we didn’t play all 34 league games to win it Then the following season we only played three games “Internally what happened in 2020 and 2021 has always driven me to win the league as a manager and it’s something that’s hung over me “This is a huge opportunity for us and we’re all focused on getting the job done.” Ray McKinnon says he would be open to staying on at Brechin City whatever the outcome of the Breedon Highland League title race This season’s champions will be crowned on Saturday on the final day of the campaign with leaders Brora Rangers at home to bottom club Rothes and the second-placed Hedgemen welcoming Lossiemouth – who are 16th – to Glebe Park but the Cattachs are 29 better off on goal difference which means realistically Brechin need them to slip up if they are to claim the title McKinnon was appointed as the Angus club’s interim manager for the final nine games of the season on March 3 Although talks about his future have yet to take place Dundee United and Nottingham Forest player has revealed he would be interested in remaining at Glebe Park beyond the end of the season McKinnon said: “There haven’t been any discussions about the future but we’ll see what happens after this weekend “Brechin gave me my start in senior management (when he was in charge between 2012 and 2015) and I get on really well with the people at the club “It’s a great club and I would be open to speaking about continuing at Brechin.” Brechin aren’t in control of their own destiny on Saturday but McKinnon insists their focus just has to be on getting the better of Lossie He also says he doesn’t want updates during the 90 minutes on how Brora are faring against Rothes McKinnon added: “Our approach to the game will be exactly the same as last Saturday (3-0 win v Nairn County) – we’ll go out and try to get the victory and if we do that then we’ll see where we end up “I’d rather just find out the Brora score at the end I think if you’re being told during the game what’s happening elsewhere it can put you off “I just want to focus on our game and I’ll find out what’s happened elsewhere at the end of the game “We’ve just got to make sure we win our game which is the main thing “Brora have scored a few more goals than us and are ahead on goal difference “But we’ll see what happens on the day as to who ends up on top.” For the fourth year in a row the Breedon Highland League title race has come down to the final day of the season as Brora Rangers and Brechin City vie to become champions At various points during the campaign both sides have had the upper hand in a back and forth battle Here we look back on eight key days that have shaped the title race At this stage Brechin were seven points clear at the top of the table It looked like the Hedgmen would increase their advantage when they twice took the lead in this Glebe Park encounter courtesy of goals from Marc Scott and Fraser MacLeod But the Cattachs fought back and strikes from James Wallace and George Robesten meant it finished level Brora played the final 40 minutes at North Lodge Park with 10 men following Alex Cooper’s red card but Robesten’s goal on 70 minutes secured a precious victory Ewan Loudon’s opener for Brechin was cancelled out by Kieran Simpson’s late strike which meant Brora moved two points behind City with both having 16 games left With Brechin’s trip to Strathspey postponed Brora had the chance to move four points ahead at the top of the table But they were beaten at Dudgeon Park as counters from Fraser Mackie Aidan Sopel and a Mark Nicolson own goal did the damage for Fraserburgh despite the Cattachs replying via Nicolson and Michael Finnis Having drawn at home to Banks o’ Dee and Buckie Thistle Brechin dropped more points despite Loudon’s goal as Brody Alberts netted to earn Keith a draw Brora took advantage as Shane Sutherland grabbed a hat-trick Craig MacKenzie bagged a brace and Max Ewan and Connor Bunce also scored in their victory over Strathspey which moved them four points clear at the summit having played a game more Things tightened up again as Brora lost at Victoria Park Fin Allen and Josh Peters (2) netted for Buckie with Colin Williamson and Matthew Wright scoring for the Cattachs MacLeod’s stoppage time winner for Brechin meant they joined their rivals on 64 points after 27 games although Brora were ahead on goal difference Brechin returned to pole position with six matches left as Loudon’s first half double sent them three points clear The pendulum swung back Brora’s way as Milosz Ochmanski’s goal inflicted defeat on Brechin at Harlaw Park and MacKenzie Cooper and Ewan fired the Cattachs to victory at Kynoch Park Brad McKay’s counter and Cillian Sheridan’s double ensured Brechin had the points in the bag against Nairn by half-time Brora prevailed thanks to efforts from MacKenzie and Shane Sutherland which means they head into the final day leading by 29 on goal difference Comments are currently disabled as they require cookies and it appears you've opted out of cookies on this site. To participate in the conversation, please adjust your cookie preferences in order to enable comments Colin Williamson has praised Brora Rangers’ new-look squad for handling the pressure as they aim to clinch the Breedon Highland League title For the fourth season in a row the battle for the championship has come down to the last game They are level on points with Brechin City, but are 29 ahead on goal difference and know if they beat Rothes at Dudgeon Park on Saturday they will be Highland League champions for the fifth time Defender Williamson joined Brora in January 2014 The 34-year-old has been part of their four previous title triumphs in 2014 2015 and the Covid-19 disrupted 2019-20 and 2020-21 campaigns which was overhauled by boss Steven Mackay last summer as a host of club legends departed haven’t experienced winning the league before When Brora were beaten by Brechin at Dudgeon Park on March 15 the Hedgemen had the advantage, but since then Brora have won five out of five to regain the upper hand Williamson reckons the Cattachs have done well to get themselves into this position as they look to finish the job He said: “Sometimes having a freshness to the squad helps the boys who have come in are all good players “A lot of the squad haven’t been in this situation before but the way we’ve dealt with things since losing to Brechin has been very good and has got us into this position “I think because of the pressure on ourselves and Brechin that’s probably led to both teams dropping points “Brechin lost at Inverurie (1-0 on March 19) and they had the pressure of knowing they needed to get something We had the same prior to that where we went top of the league and then dropped points If we’d been told at the start of the season we’d have a game at home on the last day that we needed to win to win the league then we would have taken that.” Since last being Highland League champions in 2021 Brora haven’t quite managed to sustain a title challenge in recent campaigns Williamson is pleased that has changed this term as the Cattachs chase a possible treble They lifted the North of Scotland Cup in October and take on Fraserburgh next Saturday in the R Davidson (Banchory) Highland League Cup final Williamson added: “We play to win things and every year I’ve been at Brora the aim has been to win the league “We’ve always wanted to challenge and we’ve always had quality players here but some seasons it just hasn’t happened for one reason or another “The aim at the start of the season for Brora is to win as much as possible and we’ve got a chance to win three trophies “But it’s a case of one game at a time just now and we’ll focus on Rothes and then move on to the cup final next week “The club has never won three trophies in a season so it would be a great achievement – but we still have to make it happen.” Bottom club Rothes haven’t won since November 2 Although much of the focus is on the outcome of the title race manager Ronnie Sharp is looking for a good performance from the Speysiders as they try to cause a shock He said: “I’d expect Brora to come at us all guns blazing looking to put on a show to win the league but our focus is on trying to get the best Rothes performance possible “We need to stay in the game and see what happens The boys should enjoy playing in a game like this and should want to show what they’re about “Although we haven’t won a game for a while we’ve been competitive in a lot of games so hopefully we can get a good performance out of the boys.” Brechin City’s Fraser MacLeod is praying there will be one last twist in the Breedon Highland League title race The championship battle has ebbed and flowed over the course of the campaign but heading into the final round of fixtures on Saturday it’s Brora Rangers who hold the advantage Second-placed Brechin, who face 16th-placed Lossiemouth at Glebe Park this afternoon For the Hedgemen to be champions they need to better Brora’s result which means they need their rivals to drop points against bottom side Rothes midfielder MacLeod said: “We need to make sure we win our game “If we win then you never know what could happen in the Brora-Rothes game “Although we won both games (2-1 and 3-2) we struggled when we played Rothes this season and that gives us hope because we know they can make it difficult for teams “Even though they haven’t had the best of seasons I’m sure their players will want to spoil the party just like the Lossie players will want to end our chances “Hopefully Rothes can produce a shock and we can do the business as well “I think both Brora and ourselves have dropped points in games people wouldn’t have expected this season so you never know what could happen “The main thing for us is making sure we win our game and we’ll see what happens in the other game “There have been plenty of surprise results this season you never know maybe there can be another one.” Liam Archibald is determined to try to finish Lossiemouth’s season on a high who may deputise at centre-back in the absence of James Leslie and Lewis McAndrew admits it hasn’t been a vintage campaign for the Coasters but he wants to make life difficult for Brechin Archibald added: “We know Brechin are fighting for a league title and we’re down towards the bottom But we’ll look to do the right things to keep ourselves in the game but we would like to finish it on a positive note “If we could get a result it would give everyone the confidence and belief for next season that we can push on “We’ve got our pride to play for and we want to do our best for the club so we need to be up for it.” The Breedon Highland League trophy will be at Dudgeon Park on the final of day of the season Although Brora Rangers and Brechin City are both still in contention to win the title with the Cattachs in pole position to clinch the championship league secretary John Campbell has opted to take the silverware to Sutherland on Saturday Dudgeon Park and Glebe Park are 194 miles apart and the distance was deemed to be too great for Campbell to base himself between the grounds and travel to present the trophy following the conclusion of both matches If Brora win their fixture against Rothes they will be champions they will be presented with the trophy at Glebe Park on the day of the home leg of the pyramid play-off semi-final against East Kilbride Campbell based himself in Inverness before driving to Buckie to conduct the presentation after the results of all three games were known Explaining the situation Campbell said: “The distance is too much for us to be between the two grounds so we are going to Brora with the trophy “In the event that it flips around and Brechin prevail we have a contingency plan in place “I live in Rothes so I’m roughly two hours from Brora and two hours from Brechin so I could sit in the house until quarter to five or five o’clock until we know who has won then we wouldn’t be at the ground until 7pm at the earliest That’s too late really because people would have to hang about for a couple of hours waiting on the presentation “Last year we chanced our luck a bit being stationed in Inverness and the presentation at Buckie ended up being about 6.30pm “We had a meeting about it and this is the decision we’ve made Unfortunately the Highland League doesn’t possess a helicopter or the resources to hire one for this occasion!” Clachnacuddin boss Conor Gethins has hailed Joe Malin as the best goalkeeper he’s seen in the Breedon Highland League as he gets set to retire The 36-year-old will hang up his gloves following the Lilywhites’ game against Formartine United at Grant Street Park on Saturday Malin started his senior career with Ross County and also had loans at Elgin City before joining Brora Rangers where he enjoyed a trophy-laden 11-year stint Last summer Malin signed for Clach and has helped them rise from 17th last term to their current position of sixth Malin has kept 181 clean sheets in his career and if he features against Formartine it will be his 400th career appearance Gethins has been in the Highland League as a player and manager since 2011 and said: “In my time Joe has been the best goalkeeper in the Highland League When I played Joe was always the one goalkeeper that made me think before a game ‘how am I going to get by him today?’ “He spent many years playing in a great Brora team and it’s been an absolute privilege having Joe at Clach this season He’s been a massive part of what we’ve done this season.” while Rhys Thomas and Ewen Macdonald are sidelined for Formartine Buckie Thistle are at full strength for Keith’s visit to Victoria Park Joe McCabe and Sam Pugh make their final appearances for the Jags Banks o’ Dee face Forres Mechanics at Mosset Park as they look for a win to secure third spot Dee are without Mark Reynolds and Iain Vigurs Fourth-placed Inverurie Locos are minus Greg Mitchell and Sam Burnett for Wick Academy’s visit to Harlaw Park It’s Calum Dingwall’s last game for the Railwaymen and Richard Macadie’s final outings for the Scorries Fraserburgh welcome back Ross Aitken and Kieran Simpson for their Bellslea clash with Huntly Ruari Fraser and Calum Brodie are out for the Black and Golds Kenny McKenzie and Brodie Watson are doubts for Nairn County’s Station Park encounter with Deveronvale whose player-manager Garry Wood is suspended Strathspey Thistle are set to without Josh Race Sam Morrison and Ali Nixon when they tackle Turriff United at Seafield Park Ewen Robertson and Ewan Clark are unavailable for the visitors Brechin City have appointed Ray McKinnon as their manager on a permanent basis The 54-year-old took interim charge of the Glebe Park side in March following the departure of Paddy Cregg He led the club to eight wins from their final nine games of the season as they finished second to Breedon Highland League champions Brora Rangers This is McKinnon’s second stint as Brechin boss after managing the club from 2012 to 2015 He has also had spells in charge of Dundee United Brechin chairman Kevin Mackie said: “It was a unanimous decision by the board to offer him the manager’s role permanently and to give him as much time as possible to rebuild the squad and prepare for next season.” Home   Sport   Article Highland League title challengers Brechin City have sacked manager Patrick Cregg and assistant manager Logan McConachie The club confirmed on Sunday night it has ‘parted ways’ with both men following a run of poor results which has seen them only win one of their last five matches Their last match in charge was a 1-1 draw against Clachnacuddin at Glebe Park on Saturday Brechin City are in second place in the Highland League three points behind current league leaders Brora Rangers Chairman Kevin Mackie explained the decision with nine games remaining in the campaign He said: "Whilst we are all disappointed that things have not worked out as we had hoped football is a results-driven industry and unfortunately recent results have not met expectations "We thank Patrick for his efforts in his first venture into Management and wish both him and Logan every success in the future." Clachnacuddin took the lead against Brechin on Saturday with a strike from James Anderson midway through the second half But they were unable to hold on for victory as Scott Logan scored in the 88th minutes to rescue a point for Brechin City Firefighters were called to the blaze in the former Maison Dieu Church of Scotland building on Witchden Road in Brechin shortly before 3pm on Wednesday. A Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) spokesperson said six appliances were dispatched, along with two special vehicles. Firefighters spent about eight hours tackling the blaze and SFRS confirmed that the fire was extinguished by 10.50pm. Eyewitness Norman Davidson told STV News: “It’s obviously worry for more of the buildings around about, I’m lucky I’m at the top of the street, so I was far enough away from it. “But obviously, concerns for the local neighbours and stuff, we’d already suffered quite a bad flooding last year and the place has been quite hard hit with that. “It’s just a shame in an old, old building as well. It’s been there for many years, I believe it was under construction so, it’s a shame to see it getting, fall into ruin in this state.” In dramatic footage of the blaze posted on social media, flames are clearly visible through windows and breaking through the roof, with grey smoke pouring into the sky above the building. The SFRS spokesperson said: “We were alerted at 2.49pm on Wednesday March 5 to reports of a fire within a derelict building in Brechin. “Operations Control mobilised six appliances to the town’s Witchden Road, where firefighters remain working to extinguish the fire. “We’ve since had a stop message in and we have only one appliance in attendance now.” Police Scotland and the Scottish Ambulance Service have been contacted for comment. The owner of a Brechin pub and restaurant has announced it will close as it is “not financially viable” The Caledonian on Southesk Street will shut on January 26 A post on the venue’s Facebook page said the closure was due to “continuing increases in all our costs” It added that costs were due to rise by £300 in April The post said: “The rumours are true “Due to the continuing increases in all our costs and the further increases coming in April I’ve decided it’s not financially viable to keep The Caledonian open “I and my staff would like to thank our customers for the support they have given us over the last six years “We will continue until Sunday 26th January “Opening hours to be confirmed in next couple of days “This will give all customers time to use vouchers “You can also have a cash refund if you can’t use voucher before this time “Sorry to be announcing this but after thinking everything would get easier with costs maybe returning to a manageable level everything is going up and by April our costs will be £300 a week more.” It comes just days after Angus Grill and Larder next to the A90 near Brechin announced it had shut The restaurant also said rising costs were among the reasons for the decision Brechin City beat Brora Rangers 2-0 in the meeting of the Breedon Highland League’s top two to assume pole position in the title race Ewan Loudon’s early brace was the difference between the sides in a keenly-contested encounter at Dudgeon Park The result means the Hedgemen move three points ahead of the Cattachs at the summit of the Highland League with both sides having six matches remaining this season. Brechin boss Ray McKinnon was only appointed on March 3 but he has overseen three straight victories to get their faltering championship challenge back on track After defeat to Buckie Thistle last weekend this is the first time Brora have suffered back-t0-back losses all season they have also yet to beat Brechin in eight league meetings since the Angus club entered the Highland League in 2021 Brechin had captain Euan Spark back in their starting line-up for the first time since dislocating his right shoulder in the Scottish Cup tie against Hearts on January 17 It was Hedgemen that took the lead in the 16th minute via a freak goal Cillian Sheridan collected a Lewis Martin throw-in from the right and played a pass in behind Brora captain Michael Finnis got to it first but his attempted clearance hit Loudon and flew beyond goalkeeper Cammy Mackay into the net Two minutes later Brechin and Loudon were at it again Fraser MacLeod found Loudon on the left flank and he weaved inside before lashing a low right-footed shot into the bottom right corner from the edge of the penalty area Being hit with two quickfire goals largely out of nothing was a real sucker-punch for the Cattachs but as half-time approached they started to create some chances A neat exchange on the left between Connor Bunce Colin Williamson and Tony Dingwall gave Craig MacKenzie an opening but his strike from 12 yards was miscued and goalkeeper Lenny Wilson gathered On 34 minutes Dingwall’s free-kick from the right was flicked goalwards by Bunce Wilson made a good save and as the ball bobbled around the six-yard box Spark blocked Bunce’s follow-up effort Brora started the second half on the offensive as they looked to overturn the two-goal deficit In the 47th minute Max Ewan’s pinpoint cross from the right picked out Shane Sutherland Six minutes later another Ewan delivery from the right was blocked by a visiting defender Mitchell Taylor which sparked vociferous appeals for handball that referee Harry Bruce turned away As the ball bobbled around Dingwall poked an attempt goalwards from six yards and it bounced back off the right post Another chance came Brora’s way in the 70th minute when Bunce’s header down found sub Matthew Wright but his volley from 12 yards was straight at Wilson Despite the home side’s best efforts as time ticked down they couldn’t find the goal which would have set up a grandstand finish The closest they came was a Dingwall lob from the left of the box which Brad McKay headed off the line with Wilson beaten There was late drama at the Haughs as Kieran Yeats’ goal gave Turriff United a 2-1 win against Clachnacuddin but Josh Meekings’ leveller looked to have earned the Lilywhites a point before Yeats intervened in injury time Formartine United defeated Deveronvale 2-1 in a 2pm kick-off at Princess Royal Park Two quickfire goals just before half-time from Julian Wade and Glenn Murison gave Formartine control and they claimed the points despite Cameron Angus’ second half counter for the Banffers Forres Mechanics and Buckie Thistle drew 1-1 at Mosset Park but Fin Allen’s late leveller made it seven matches unbeaten for the Jags Fraserburgh’s good run continues as goals from Scott Barbour and Fraser Mackie earned them a 2-0 win against Nairn County at Bellslea Huntly triumphed 7-0 in the derby against 10-man Keith at Christie Park Sam Robertson struck early on for the Black and Golds and things got worse for the Maroons when captain Ryan Robertson was sent off after 25 minutes Owen Morris then doubled Huntly’s lead Keith’s luck was firmly out as they then lost goalkeeper Craig Reid to injury and with no replacement on the bench Huntly didn’t let up as Morris again Inverurie Locos swept Strathspey Thistle aside at Harlaw Park as they won 5-0 The Railwaymen did most of the damage in the first half with a double from Josh Bolton plus counters from Lloyd Robertson and Daniel Agnew putting them in command After the break Cole Anderson completed the scoring Banks o’ Dee came from behind to defeat Rothes 5-1 at Mackessack Park Shaun Morrison got the opener for the Speysiders but after the interval a brace from Hamish MacLeod Liam Duell and an own goal earned Dee the points A hat-trick from Kyle Henderson helped Wick Academy make it four matches undefeated as they prevailed 4-1 against Lossiemouth at Harmsworth Park George Ewing also got on the scoresheet for the Scorries Owen Loveland bagged a late consolation for the Coasters Craig Halkett admits Hearts will head into Friday's Scottish Cup tie against Brechin full of confidence as they look to progress to the last 16 of the competition It's a Friday night under the lights at Glebe Park in front of the TV cameras and the Jambos will be looking to continue their recent form and avoid being on the end of a cup upset Speaking to the media at the pre-match press conference “I think in the last few weeks we've put on some good performances A bit disappointing not to win the other day but it's on the back of three good performances but we know it's a game that we can't take lightly but we know we need to be at it to get the win We're a Premiership team and they're a lesser opposition we know that we've got more quality in our changing room going out there and putting in your effort “You know they're going to fight for everything in the game They're going to be desperate for a cup upset it's just one that we need to go into with the right attitude the right mindset and hopefully we can get the job done "The Brora game has been brought up this week for the boys that maybe haven't been here or it's their first year at the club and they've not experienced playing a Cup game against lesser opposition just to let everyone know that these games aren't just turn up the experiences are obviously helpful in these situations but it's a game that we want to go and win and progress in the Cup.” You can watch Craig’s press conference in full on Hearts TV.  Head coach Neil Critchley insists that Hearts are well aware of the challenges high flying Brechin City will pose them on Friday night The men in maroon travel to Glebe Park to take on their Highland League opponents in front of the tv cameras in a match that has the feel of a ‘proper’ cup tie The Jambos will head into the match as overwhelming favourites but the head coach explained that preparations have been exactly the same and admits he’s expecting a difficult challenge the romance of the cup is still alive in my head It gives you a genuine chance of going to Hampden Park and winning a trophy everyone's looking to see where a shock's going to happen Everyone outside of our club will be wanting a cup shock and we have to make sure we do everything to prevent that from happening So we have to prepare like we always prepare make sure our application and our attitude is right on the night then obviously we have confidence in the way that we've played recently and that we can continue the good form that we’re on “Looking at their [Hearts players’] background and their history and where they've played and their upbringing is really important because you know at some point you might encounter a game like this "So I'm confident with the players we've got in our squad that we've got the right personality or the right characteristics to go to breaking in tough conditions or a tough cup tie and get the job done We've shown them footage this week of what to expect and as we always do It's obviously down to the players on the pitch to carry out the plan.”  The men in maroon will be coming up against a side who are used to winning and Critchley admits it’s a ‘dangerous’ tie for the Jambos but is hopeful that his side will ride to the occasion They've only lost once in the league all season which would suggest that they're better than the level that they're playing at right now They're a threat and they're used to winning games That in itself breeds confidence and they have nothing to lose but we're in good form and we're playing well as well Our aim is to go as far as we can in this competition and we want to go and win the game and get into the next round Hopefully being on the television helps our players The club announced goalkeeper Zander Clark had signed a new contract until 2027 and Critchley added he’s ‘delighted’ that the stopper put pen to paper on a new long-term contract I’ve had some good conversations with Zander since I've been here I've been nothing but impressed with him as a person and as a goalkeeper It's not been easy for him because I'm aware of how he played and what he achieved last season He's taken it like a really good professional I'm delighted that he stayed and I see him as part of the future at Hearts.”  You can watch Neil’s press conference in full on Hearts TV.  New photos show the aftermath of a major fire at a Brechin church – with residents recalling a “big bang” as the roof collapsed Firefighters spent 12 hours at the scene after the town’s old Maison Dieu Church caught fire on Wednesday A crew returned to inspect the scene again on Thursday morning The church – dating back to 1891 – has been left a burnt-out shell An investigation has been launched into the cause of the blaze with police guarding the site Photos taken by The Courier photographer Mhairi Edwards on Thursday show the damage caused to the building and police activity at the scene Several nearby properties were evacuated as a precaution during the fire as embers fell in nearby gardens He told The Courier how ash had fallen outside his home He said: “My partner gave me a shout at the back of 3pm and all we could see was smoke because the roof had caved in “We thought we had better come out and there was ash everywhere “The firefighters were struggling to get water and our pressure died for a bit “They were worried for a while about the tower collapsing because we didn’t know which way it was going to go “Firefighters were surprised it didn’t fall “I’ve lived here for 19 years and the church has been empty since about 1984.” was using a power hose to clear ash from his gardens and windows on Thursday morning Peter said: “We worried for a while because the wind was blowing the smoke in our direction “When we returned (to the house) at 9pm it was still glowing.” said: “We could just see lots of smoke and heard a big bang when the ceiling collapsed “My nine-year-old son was petrified because there were lit embers falling not far from the house “I woke up this morning and the house smelled of smoke “My granny used to work in the church as a cleaner and my mum used to go there.” The Courier’s reporter Finn Nixon was at the scene on Thursday morning He said: “Witchden Road is deserted but two police cars and some local residents walking past the church and stopping to look at the damage “The muddy remains of where water has poured down the street and fire and police cordons are signs of the emergency services’ efforts last night.” Police have confirmed an investigation is ongoing to establish the cause of the fire the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service has confirmed no firefighters were in the building at the time the roof collapsed – despite rumours to the contrary A man has been charged with several offences after he was allegedly caught driving “erratically” in Brechin Officers stopped a car on Southesk Street in the Angus town on Tuesday afternoon One passer-by reported seeing three police vans and two police cars at the scene He said: “There were several police officers on the street – a couple were positioned inside an alleyway just across from the Scotmid “They had vans and cars parked on the road making it difficult for traffic to pass “The man was arrested and led to the back of one of the vans “Once most of the police vehicles had left a couple of officers stayed to look at the car they had stopped.” A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Around 5.20pm on Tuesday, we received a report of a car being driven erratically in the Southesk Street area of Brechin. “The driver, a 44-year-old man, was arrested and charged in connection with threatening behaviour, assault, and a road traffic offence. “He is due to appear at Forfar Sheriff Court at a later date.” © DC Thomson Co Ltd 2025. All Rights Reserved. Scottish Cup - BBC Sport","description":"Watch the goals as Hearts overcome Brechin City in the fourth round of the Scottish Cup.","thumbnailUrl":["https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/images/ic/1920x1080/p0l556nz.jpg","https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/images/ic/1232x1232/p0l556nz.jpg","https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/images/ic/688xn/p0l556nz.jpg","https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/images/ic/400xn/p0l556nz.jpg"],"uploadDate":"2025-01-17T21:55:26.156Z","duration":"PT3M46S"}Highlights: Brechin City 1-4 HeartsThere was an error Watch the goals as Hearts overcome Brechin City in the fourth round of the Scottish Cup Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRead descriptionEditor's recommendationsHighlights: Brechin City 1-4 Hearts 00:03:46Highlights: Brechin City 1-4 Hearts 3:46Up Next Messi 'does stuff that normal humans can't do' Video 00:02:26Messi 'does stuff that normal humans can't do' 2:26Was this the greatest transfer window of all time 00:01:41Was this the greatest transfer window of all time 1:41Watch: Fan 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Cup campaign underway this afternoon as they defeated Breedon Highland League side Brechin City 2-1 It was a competitive first half and Saints took the lead in first half stoppage time as Graham Carey converted from the penalty spot after Benji Kimpioka had been tripped by Lewis Martin Saints doubled their lead on 65 minutes when captain Kyle Cameron produced a stunning finish from 25 yards which gave Lenny Wilson in the home goal no chance Saints created further chances to extend their lead however former Saints youth player Spencer Moreland pulled a goal back for City in stoppage time as his strike went in off the post Saints saw the game out to leave Brechin with the 3 points Saints are back in action next Saturday as they welcome Greenock Morton to Perth for a Premier Sports Cup Group F match Saints got their Premier Sports Cup campaign underway this afternoon as they headed to Angus for a Group F game against Breedon Highland League side Brechin City at the Carnegie Fuels Stadium at Glebe Park Craig Levein handed competitive debuts to Josh Rae Brechin City are managed by former Saints player Patrick Cregg and he included former Saints players Brad McKay and Ewan Loudon the Brechin City starting eleven for this afternoons cup match Benji Kimpioka got the match underway for Saints and the Perth side created the first chance of the match after 2 minutes Graham Carey sent over an inviting ball from the left however no one in a Saints shirt was able to get on the end of it The loose ball was then gathered by Drey Wright and he crossed the ball back into the box however his delivery was headed clear by City captain Euan Spark Drey Wright won Saints a free kick on 12 minutes after he was fouled by Ewan Loudon Cammy MacPherson took the free kick however his delivery into the Brechin box was headed clear by Brad McKay On 21 minutes the hosts were awarded a free kick after Sean Hastie was fouled by Kyle Cameron Anthony McDonald took the free kick as the forward sent over an inviting ball into the Saints box which Spark was inches away from connecting with PHOTO: Cammy MacPherson and Fraser MacLeod Brechin won another free kick on 34 minutes following a foul by Aaron Essel on Fraser MacLeod this time his delivery into the box was headed clear by Jack Sanders 4 minutes later Josh McPake unleashed a strike from distance which was blocked by McKay Then on the stroke of half time a good passing move by Saints saw MacPherson play the ball out wide to Wright who burst down the right channel before playing the ball into Kimpioka however the Swedish forward blasted his effort over the goal in first half stoppage time Saints were awarded a penalty after Kimpioka drew the foul from Lewis Martin Carey stepped up to take the penalty and he sent his effort straight down the middle to give Saints a half time lead PHOTO: Graham Carey scores from the penalty spot 4 minutes into the second half a MacPherson corner from the left was headed behind for another corner by McKay This time Carey took the corner from the right and he went straight for goal from the corner as his effort landed on the roof of the Brechin net Saints came closer on 54 minutes as Kimpioka unleashed a strike from the edge of the box however City keeper Lenny Wilson used his legs to block the shot Craig Levein then made a double change as Stevie May and Adama Sidibeh came on to replace Matt Smith and Josh McPake On 58 minutes Patrick unleashed a strike from distance which Josh Rae brilliantly turned behind for a corner McDonald’s corner from the left was met by McKay however Just before the hour mark Sidibeh saw his strike saved by Wilson Whilst up the other end on 62 minutes Dayle Robertson connected with a delivery into the box however his effort was comfortably gathered by Rae Saints though extended their lead on 65 minutes Wright picked out Cameron as he switched play from the right to the left and the new Saints captain took a touch before unleashing a fantastic strike from 25 yards which flew into the top corner of the net past a helpless Wilson Saints then made another change on 68 minutes as Taylor Steven replaced Benji Kimpioka The Perth side continued to apply pressure to the Brechin goal as on 69 minutes May unleashed a shot which sailed over the Stand Then 2 minutes later Wright’s cross from the right was met by Steven however Wilson comfortably gathered the header from the young forward Wilson was called into action again on 76 minutes as Saints continued their search for a third goal A good move by Craig Levein’s men saw May switch the ball out to Carey on the left who advanced forward before sending over a delightful cross which Steven got on the end of however Then 2 minutes later Sidibeh got on the end of a Carey cross from the right however Saints made a double change with 10 minutes remaining as Cammy MacPherson and Drey Wright were replaced by Max Kucheriavyi and Fran Franczak In the final minute of the match Saints created another chance as Franczak burst into the box before seeing his shot saved by Wilson in the first minute of added on time City pulled a goal back Marc Scott cut the ball back from the right to Spencer Moreland and the former Saints youth player saw his shot go in off the far post to setup a nervy final couple of minutes Saints were able to see the game out to get their Premier Sports Cup campaign off to a winning start Emergency services attended a Brechin street after a car landed on its roof Police were called to Park Road just after 12pm on Friday following the incident The car was next to the Caledonian Railway entrance An eyewitness said: “We turned onto the street having left the Health Centre and noticed that the car was on its roof “Police arrived at the same time and an ambulance has also appeared.” The incident came as Storm Eowyn continues to cause major disruption across Tayside, Fife and Stirling Police Scotland and the Scottish Ambulance Service have been approached for comment Our reporters are working to bring you the latest updates on this developing story Please check back later for more and follow The Courier on Facebook and online for breaking news Brechin City overcame an early scare to triumph 4-1 against Strathspey Thistle – keeping them level with Breedon Highland League leaders Brora Rangers With just three games left the two sides remain neck-and-neck with Brora’s vastly superior goal difference giving them the current advantage Strathspey stunned the visitors with a lightning start at Seafield Park and were awarded a penalty within 90 seconds when Lewis Mackie was hauled down by Liam Callaghan The responsibility was taken on by Liam Shewan who emphatically swept his spot-kick high beyond the reach of Lenny Wilson The home side looked to capitalise further on their strong start with Jordan Laidlaw’s header well claimed by Wilson following a Filip Franczak corner Brechin were clearly rattled by the Jags’ early momentum but they increasingly began to take control of the game Their first meaningful opportunity came on 18 minutes when Lewis Milne was denied by a fine save from Euan Storrier following good work down the left by Ewan Loudon Keiran Sweeney was next to threaten on 24 minutes but he scooped his effort well over after a corner broke his way Brechin were dealt a further blow three minutes later when forward Dayle Robertson hobbled off with Cillian Sheridan brought on in his place The Irishman looked to make an immediate impact with a near post effort blocked behind by Sam Morrison while Lewis Martin trundled a shot wide from the resulting corner City were denied again six minutes before the break when Loudon was played through by a long kick upfield by Wilson Storrier was out sharply to block the strike Brechin’s persistence eventually paid off on 41 minutes Storrier initially did well to save Milne’s shot on the turn from the edge of the box but Sheridan was on hand to tuck home the rebound The timely leveller brought much relief to the visitors and they carried on from where they left off at the start of the second half Milne saw a strike clawed wide by Storrier while Sweeney bundled over from Callaghan’s corner which followed The Angus outfit took the lead on 53 minutes in stunning style with half-time substitute Mitch Taylor letting fly with a drilled free-kick from 20 yards which clipped the inside of the post on its way into the net Brechin sensed the opportunity to kill off the contest with Sheridan seeing a header thwarted by Storrier while Fraser Macleod saw a shot blocked from close-range The visitors continued to pile on the pressure with Euan Spark forcing the ball off the crossbar on 70 minutes after meeting a corner Brechin put the points beyond doubt on 75 minutes when Sheridan netted his second with a cushioned header past Storrier following Scott Bright’s delivery from the left Taylor followed suit in notching his own double when he weaved his way into a shooting position before thumping high past Storrier Brora Rangers kept up their title charge with a comfortable 5-0 win at Huntly The home side welcomed back Michael Clark, James Connelly and Adam Morris to their squad, while Brora made one change from Saturday’s win over Clachnacuddin – Connor Bunce replacing Max Ewan Brora had the ball in the back of the net through captain Colin Williamson Bunce then tried to curl in a shot… but his team-mate Tony Dingwall got in the way Brora would do the damage to their hosts in a devastating 21-minute spell They broke the deadlock on 19 minutes when Dingwall crossed for Bunce to drill home his 24th of the season Huntly’s Ryan Sewell came close to a leveller on 25 minutes forcing Cammy Mackay into a save from a free-kick Brora’s Wallace Duffy headed in Craig Mackenzie’s corner delivery two minutes later Dingwall made it double figures for the season on 32 minutes taking advantage of poor defending to fire in The home side again almost got themselves on the scoresheet with Dingwall finishing towards the far post James Wallace and Bunce all went close to extending Brora’s lead but it was Wright who nabbed the fifth on 79 minutes – powering a strike low into the net for his 14th of the campaign Huntly only had one goal attempt in the second half who impressed after coming on at the break Comments are currently disabled as they require cookies and it appears you've opted out of cookies on this site. To participate in the conversation, please adjust your cookie preferences in order to enable comments. © Aberdeen Journals Ltd 2025. All Rights Reserved. Scott Bright scores a stunning opener in to give Highland League Brechin City a surprise lead over Scottish Premiership Hearts in their Scottish Cup fourth round tie Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRead descriptionEditor's recommendationsIs this the best goal you'll see this weekend Up Next Our first competitive fixture of the 2024/25 season is now upon us as we travel to face Brechin City in the Premier Sports Cup this Saturday Excitement has been building for the Group F opener which takes place at Glebe Park and will kick-off at 3pm We would love your support as we bid to kick our cup campaign off on the front foot Brechin are now managed by our former midfielder Patrick Cregg a Perthshire local who was previously assistant manager at Jeanfield Swifts Tickets for this match can be purchased via Fanbase HERE and prices are as follows: Adult - £15 Brechin have confirmed there will be no segregation in place Kiosks at Glebe Park are cash only and turnstiles will open at 1.30pm Our McDiarmid Park supporters’ bus is running to this fixture with a departure time of 1pm from the stadium If you would like to book your place on the bus please call 01738 459090 and select option one Bus prices remain at £13 for adults and £10 for under-16s and over 65s for this fixture Supporters’ buses making their way to the match on Saturday are to park on Trinity Road Parking at the stadium car park is for players The City Bar (within the ground) is open to home and away fans and is expected to fill up very quickly (cash and card payments accepted) By train: The nearest railway station is Montrose There is a regular Inter-City service from all parts of the country and fans alighting at Montrose can then catch a connecting bus service to Brechin from the north: Take the A90 and come of at the first 'Brechin' turn off (B966.) Travel through Trinity and on entering Brechin you'll find the ground is on the left-hand side of the road From the south: Take the M90 to the A90 and continue past the first 'Brechin' turn off Come off at the second turn off on to the B966 Travel through Trinity and on entering Brechin You can find out more information about Glebe Park HERE We last faced Brechin City in a competitive fixture in October 2020 and it would prove to be a successful outing for us on home soil at McDiarmid Park Stevie May scored a hat-trick and David Wotherspoon a double while Callum Hendry and Murray Davidson were also on the scoresheet in the 7-0 League Cup victory Five of the goals arrived in the second half on that occasion.  The team heads for Glebe Park following last Saturday’s friendly victory away Arbroath Josh McPake netted his first goal for the club in the 1-0 victory as the squad picked up more valuable minutes in the legs warmed up for our visit this coming weekend by running out 4-0 winners against East Region Midlands League outfit Brechin Vics Brechin City have asked us to make supporters aware that there remains availability for hospitality at Saturday’s match. For more information – or to book – email Darren Taylor at cd_brechincityfc@outlook.com the match will be available to stream on Premier Sports Saints TV international subscribers will also be able to watch the game and UK subscribers can listen to full match commentary Three people died and hundreds fled their homes as flooding and 70mph winds ravaged northern Scotland last October. Three people died and hundreds fled their homes as the storm brought flooding and 70mph gusts of wind through the north east of Scotland in October 2023. Brechin, in Angus, was at the epicentre of Storm Babet – and the town is still recovering one year on. Caroline Monro was one of hundreds of people evacuated from their homes in the town. The 77-year-old said the water levels nearly rose to around four-and-a-half feet in height. She said she still suffers “nightmares and flashbacks” following the disaster. She told STV News: “I was trapped inside my house and had to cling on to the window whilst I was waiting for the Coastguard and the fire brigade to come and rescue me. “The current was so strong they had difficulty pushing the door in. “I was hanging on for dear life, by my fingertips on the windowsill. I was going in and out of consciousness, terrified. “It was very, very frightening.” Hundreds fled their properties when the River South Esk burst its banks and overtopped flood defences, which sent water pouring into the lower floors of many properties. Many for the last year have been staying in temporary accommodation, like neighbours Mary Kennedy and David Dewar. David said: “It was just carnage. It’s not a nice image to see. “It’s hard to recognise it was my house.” “It does go through your mind as if to say ‘will it happen again’,” Mary added. “But it’s our home, so you come back.” Storm Babet brought unprecedented flooding to much of the country. Roads turned to rivers, with people left trapped inside their own homes. Three people lost their lives in Scotland. John Gillan, 56, was struck by a falling tree in Forfar; Wendy Taylor, 57, was swept into the Water of Lee and the body of 61-year-old Peter Pelling was found in Aberdeenshire following a three-day search. Residents of Bridge of Dun had to be airlifted via helicopter, while in other areas people stranded by floodwater were rescued by boats, including canoes. Tayside Mountain Rescue leader Paul Morgan recalled the mammoth rescue effort during Storm Babet, which was the biggest ever witnessed in Angus. He said: “There was pretty much a solid 72-hour period where we were deployed. “There wasn’t a lot of sleep, there wasn’t a lot of downtime. “There were just so many people needing help and obviously we’re there to do that – both ourselves and the volunteer team we work with. “I’ve been doing this a long time and you think you get used to it. “But there were certainly a few times over the course of those 72 hours where I was taken aback by the extent of the water damage.” Homes have been left unrecognisable due to the damage, with some not knowing if they will ever be able to return. Locals have been attending weekly drop-ins at The Crickety community centre since the disaster last year. Community development manager Grant Hutchison said they have been helping people by providing grants and support packs for displaced residents. He said there is a shared sense of anxiety in Brechin after the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency issued an amber flood warning for most of the country. “As well as the hundreds we’re helping who were directly affected, there are also those who suffer a little bit from the after-effects,” Grant said. “There’s less confidence in the town. “There’s doom and gloom, people are stressed and worried. The weather warning for the weekend is adversely affecting people. “We’re wondering if there’s another day the tide will come in. The defences there to cope with things didn’t work. There are still problems. “We hoped we’d get more answers and more help from elsewhere. Unfortunately that’s not been forthcoming.” A report will go before councillors in Angus outlining possible next steps for the town’s road to recovery in November. They include demolishing properties and building a higher flood defence system. Angus council leader Bill Duff said: “I think all of the 58 houses that have been emptied, people are now in houses somewhere else. “Some of them may want to come back here, some of them may not. “Until we’ve done the next piece of work, then that’s not going to be clear if that’s possible or indeed desirable.” Mr Duff denied claims circulating on social media that the town’s £16m coastal flood defences had failed. He said: “The flood defences here were built to deal with 3.7 metre above normal levels – the water reached 4.6m, a metre over the wall. It was significant overtopped. “In terms of preparation we done what we could do. Council staff worked very, very hard to ensure people got relocated, provided welfare rights assistance and offered help with mental health and drop-in facilities. “The impact of Storm Babet has been absolutely catastrophic, way beyond what anyone thought could happen. It was obviously very traumatic.” Brechin City chairman Kevin Mackie hopes the appointment of interim manager Ray McKinnon can reignite their faltering Breedon Highland League title challenge The Hedgemen have brought in the former Aberdeen, Dundee United and Nottingham Forest midfielder for the remainder of the season after dismissing Patrick Cregg on Sunday. McKinnon has previously managed Lochee United Queen’s Park and most recently Forfar Athletic The 54-year-old was also in charge of Brechin between October 2012 and May 2015 and he guided the Glebe Park outfit to third eighth and fourth-placed finishes in League One before departing to Raith McKinnon returns to Brechin with them sitting three points behind Highland League leaders Brora Rangers and also trailing the Cattachs on goal difference – with both sides having nine games left Speaking to The Press and Journal about the appointment City chairman Mackie said: “It wasn’t on the agenda for us to change manager so the logical route was to bring in a temporary manager until the end of the season “Ray brings good experience and has been at the club before Given the situation and the time left in the season it didn’t make sense to go through an interview process and sound out who might or might not be available “We had training on Monday night, we’ve got a game on Wednesday (against Deveronvale at Princess Royal Park) and every game counts “We’re all disappointed things haven’t worked out with Patrick We’ve strengthened the squad in the last couple of months “We started the season really well and we need to find out why that form has disappeared – hopefully Ray can come in and flick that switch to get us going again “Ray’s been tasked with trying to get us back to winning ways then we might still have a chance of winning the league “But we have to move forward now because there’s still a job to do for the rest of the season.” Brechin parted company with Cregg following a run of four draws in their last five matches which has handed the initiative to Brora in the title race The Hedgemen haven’t won at Glebe Park in six matches with their last home victory coming on November 9 while they haven’t kept a clean sheet since October 5 Mackie added: “It was an extremely difficult decision to make and it wasn’t something I envisaged happening “We still wanted to support Patrick in the last few weeks “It was disappointing to have to make the decision we all wanted it to work and I’m sure he’ll kick on again somewhere else We felt we were in the box-seat and we were ahead at the top of the table earlier in the season “Patrick tried everything he could to get us going again but the feeling after Saturday was that we needed to change things.” Brora Rangers legend Martin Maclean was happy to help out his old club in their R Davidson (Banchory) Highland League Cup hour of need The midfielder retired last summer after a 12-year stint with the Cattachs However, Maclean returned to the Brora fold on Saturday, appearing as a substitute in their Highland League Cup semi-final victory against Deveronvale at Princess Royal Park Gary Pullen and Ross Hardie cup-tied and Jordan MacRae and James Wallace struggling with injury Brora boss Steven Mackay turned to Maclean to beef up his squad The 33-year-old is also set to be involved when the Cattachs face Fraserburgh in the final on Saturday April 19 Maclean said: “Steven got in touch a couple of weeks ago once the semi-final was announced saying they were a wee bit short because they’ve got a few boys cup-tied and a couple of boys injured and I was available on Saturday and I’m available the weekend of the final as well and I’ve signed a deal for the cup games – it’s not for anything else “I played over in Lewis for Back in September “But I was only on for 15 minutes on Saturday I know most of them and I’ve known Steven and David Hind (assistant manager) for a long time During his time with Brora, Maclean won four Breedon Highland League titles, six North of Scotland Cups and three Highland League Cups, the last of which was last season. He hung up his boots last year due to family commitments but could now pick up another medal if the Cattachs can get the better of Fraserburgh in the final Maclean added: “I’ve enjoyed having my weekends to myself I’ve missed actually playing – but I haven’t missed all the commitment the travelling and all the stuff that goes with it “I’ve enjoyed spending more time with my family “But it was good to come back on Saturday “It’s a bit of a strange situation where you just turn up for a semi-final and then a final The boys have been training all season and putting the work in… and I’ve just turned up but maybe by then there will be a couple of boys back “We’ll see what happens when it comes around the Highland League has confirmed the venue for the Highland League Cup final The showpiece fixture will be staged at Clachnacuddin’s Grant Street Park with kick-off at 3pm on Saturday Breedon Highland League title contenders Brechin City and Banks o’ Dee drew 2-2 in a thrilling encounter at Glebe Park who started the afternoon at the top of the table twice led through Cillian Sheridan and Marc Scott but they were pegged back by counters from Michael Philipson and Andy Hunter for Dee At the end of a pulsating 90 minutes it was fellow challengers Brora Rangers who were the real winners The stalemate between Brechin and Banks o’ Dee means the Cattachs now return to the top of the division on goal difference It looks like it will be a thrilling conclusion to the season over the next couple of months. Brora have 52 points and a goal difference of 54 after 22 games, City have 52 points and a goal difference of 39 from 21 matches and Dee have 49 points and a goal difference 39 from 23 games It didn’t take long for this game to spark into life as Brechin took an eighth minute lead on the right flank and his low cross teed up Sheridan to tap home for his first City goal since signing in December But it wasn’t long before Banks o’ Dee were back on terms In the 15th minute the visitors worked the ball inside from a throw-in on the right Kacper Lewecki picked out Philipson inside the box and he produced a clinical finish into the bottom left corner from 15 yards The chances dried up a touch after that as two well-matched sides battled to gain control of proceedings As the interval approached Dee had another sight of goal but Philipson missed his kick from 12 yards In the 41st minute Brechin took the lead again as Scott Bright got in behind on the left side and crossed to the back post for his fellow full-back Scott to head unchallenged into the bottom right corner On the stroke of half-time the Hedgemen’s Lewis Martin headed into the net from a Milne free-kick – but the goal was disallowed for offside In the early stages of the second half referee Stewart Luke dismissed a Banks o’ Dee penalty appeal for handball against Bright At the other end Ewan Loudon’s pinpoint pass released Sheridan on the left side of the box but he was repelled by a great block from goalkeeper Daniel Hoban On 54 minutes Dee responded and equalised for the second time From Philipson’s free-kick on the right Kane Winton’s diving header hit the right post but the ball rebounded off Hunter and bobbled into the net After that the contest became increasingly scrappy and although Dee enjoyed more territory clear-cut chances to get ahead weren’t forthcoming In the final 10 minutes Brechin had a spell of pressure Loudon’s cross from the right cannoned off visiting defender Nathan Cooney but Hoban made a good reaction save and also held Dayle Robertson’s flick moments later Despite the best efforts of both sides neither could net a winner but Banks o’ Dee did finish with 10 men when Winton was dismissed in the second minute of stoppage time A stramash inside the Dee box resulted in both sides engaging in a shoving match and Winton who had already been booked for a first half tackle on Fraser MacLeod received second yellow and then a red card from referee Luke Brora Rangers beat Wick Academy 3-0 in the north derby at Harmsworth Park Connor Bunce netted from the spot to open the scoring for the Cattachs after he had been fouled inside the penalty area and Matthew Wright notched a brace Formartine United won 2-1 against Fraserburgh at North Lodge Park Stuart Smith and Scott Adams gave United an early advantage and although Aidan Sopel pulled a goal back the Broch couldn’t salvage a point Deveronvale moved above Turriff United into 10th in the table with a 2-1 victory at Princess Royal Park Mackenzie Taylor broke the deadlock for the visitors but Ben Hermiston soon equalised for the Banffers Harry Noble’s last-gasp penalty gave the home side the points Buckie Thistle recovered from being a goal down to get back to winning ways against Rothes at Victoria Park Andrew Skinner opened the scoring for the Speysiders, but the Jags replied with debutant Fin Allen, Lyall Keir Andrew MacAskill and Josh Peters finding the net as they ran out 5-1 winners Inverurie Locos came from behind to defeat Lossiemouth 3-1 at Grant Park Lewis McAndrew’s penalty put the Coasters ahead before the Railwaymen levelled things up through Jay Halliday Lloyd Robertson and Cole Anderson’s goals won it for Locos Keith against Nairn County at Kynoch Park and Strathspey Thistle v Clachnacuddin at Seafield Park were postponed due to frost A recently renovated four-bedroom townhouse in Brechin has gone on the market for just £90,000 The property inside a B-listed building on the town’s High Street is spread over three levels The home report values the property at £100,000 but it is being sold for offers over £90,000 The front door on High Street leads into a reception hallway and then into the dining kitchen there is a mix of modern fixtures and traditional features like wooden beams a fireplace and mosaic tile-effect flooring A small hallway leads to two bedrooms at the back of the property A wooden staircase leads to a large landing with a front-facing window and a good-sized lounge A small bedroom – which could be used as an office or a study – and a shower room are also on this level The main bedroom is on the second floor with generous space for furnishings and storage The property does not come with a garden but there is ample on-street parking available The Brechin townhouse is on the market with Yopa which says the home is “unlikely to hand around” Elsewhere in Angus, a unique former schoolhouse built using earth has been put up for sale Potholes described as “mammoth” have reportedly been causing breakdowns and damaging cars on the A90 near Brechin Several broken-down cars were spotted near the A935 turn-off on Monday morning And witnesses say the vehicles that had come to a halt on the northbound carriageway had visible tyre and wheel damage One driver said: “I saw two mammoth potholes at the Brechin slip road on the outside lane “I was able to avoid them because I was aware something was happening there were six cars all on the hard shoulder with punctures when I passed “It’s carnage and could be really dangerous “Certainly a lot of damage has been caused to cars by these potholes.” The driver added: “They are clearly where previous repairs have been made because they were perfect squares.” Another driver shared their anger about the trunk road’s potholes in a comment on a Facebook post by Fubar She said: “I hit a massive pothole on the A90 near Laurencekirk last year “I was able to drive on but had a massive repair bill I’ve been chasing Amey for months and they deny all liability “It’s absolutely enraging.” The Courier reporter Lindsey Hamilton visited the scene at around 11.45am on Monday “By the time I got there the affected cars had been cleared away but there was still evidence of the ‘carnage’ in the damaged tyres left behind in a layby just after the affected section,” she said what I saw for myself was the very poor state of almost the entire length of the Brechin bypass “I didn’t see the two potholes that seemed to cause the most damage but I did see many smaller ones “The road is patched in dozens of sections and is very bumpy and hazardous as a result.” She added: “Traffic moves quickly on that section of the dual carriageway and if you were to hit any number of those potholes or patches you would almost certainly be in danger of damaging your tyres “Even taking my time I was rattling and bumping the entire length of the bypass north to the Edzell turn-off “And then on the way south the carriageway was just as bad.” A spokesperson for Amey who operates the country’s trunk roads said: “Each of our routes on the north-east trunk road network are inspected twice per week as part of our safety patrols “The severe weather and temperature changes over the winter months adversely affects all roads leading to road damage and the formation of potholes “We prioritise repairs of any noted carriageway defects to ensure those that pose the greatest risk to public safety are made safe as quickly as possible whilst adhering to our contractual timescales “There is an on-going trial on the A90 southbound at Brechin whereby varying treatments were trialled by the previous operating company which Amey is monitoring over three consecutive winter periods with a view to a long-term treatment for the route being established “Members of the public can report any issues on the North East trunk roads to Amey via phone 0800 083 0084, or via our website.” A van driver is fighting for his life in hospital after a crash on the A90 near Brechin The crash involving a lorry happened on the southbound carriageway at around 2.45pm on Friday The road was shut for nearly seven hours with traffic diverted through Brechin The male driver of the van was taken to hospital where medical staff describe his condition as critical The driver of the HGV did not need treatment Constable Liam Pattie said: “I am appealing to anyone who was in the area around the time of the incident to contact us with any information please check it for any footage which could assist our ongoing investigation.” Anyone with information is asked to call Police Scotland via 101 quoting incident number 2034 of Friday March 14 Highland League leaders Brechin City have signed former Celtic and Caley Thistle striker Cillian Sheridan The former Republic of Ireland international has played for clubs in Scotland His career highlights include stints at Celtic where he won the Scottish Premier League and Scottish Cup and helping Cypriot side Apoel to a domestic double in each of his two seasons there where he also competed in the Champions League Brechin manager Patrick Cregg said: “We’re delighted to get Cillian in He has experience at the highest levels of football coupled with his professionalism and leadership will be invaluable both on and off the pitch “He’s hungry to do well for the club and is exactly the type of player who embodies our vision He will be a great addition to our group and will help the young players as well with his experience – we are looking forward to working with him.” Sheridan said he is relishing his new challenge at the Breedon Highland League club who will face Hearts in the Scottish Cup next month He said: “I’m excited to join Brechin City and play a part in their ambitious journey “The club’s vision and drive resonate with me and I can’t wait to contribute to the team’s success.” Brechin City take on Banks o’ Dee in the quarter-finals of the R Davidson (Banchory) Highland League Cup on Friday night