The visitors completely dominated the game and, in truth, if it hadn't been for a couple of top class saves from Fife goalie Willie McCulloch in the first half the score could have been a lot worse.

Fife never really threatened the goal in the opening period and were reduced mostly to long range efforts.

Paul Stewart was the first to try his luck from distance in the fifth minute but Brechin 'keeper Craig Nelson managed to hold the ball despite the slippy conditions.

After this the visitors began to dominate and were unlucky not to go ahead on a couple of occasions.

McCulloch pulled off a string of top class saves within a five-minute spell, the highlight being a stop from a deflected Kevin Byers strike which took a wicked deflection off the head of Jon Smart.

The 'keeper again had to look smart just a few moments later when Ian Diack robbed Paul Nugent of the ball in the Fife half but couldn't find a way past McCulloch when through one on one.

However, the away side were always looking the more dangerous and inevitably took the lead on the stroke of half time.

Gary Twigg found himself free in the box and was given time by the absent Fife defence to slam past McCulloch.

From the re-start it was the visitors who were looking more likely to net next with the lively Twigg unlucky not to add to his side's lead - again being denied by McCulloch.

Following some sustained pressure on the Fife goal, Brechin did, though, double their advantage from a set piece.

Kevin Byers, who was brought up in the Kingdom, swung in a corner which was met by David White who headed into the Fife net.

Criminally, East Fife then conceded a third in almost identical circumstances when Byers again delivered a corner which was this time headed home by John Ward.

Dave Baikie introduced strikers Craig O'Reilly, Chris Templeman and Kevin Gordon toward the end of the match but it was to no avail as Brechin comfortably held on for the 3-0 win.

Following the match Baikie said: "I think, over the piece, we were well beaten.

"For the first 15 minutes I thought we were okay but between then and half time they had some good chances and, to be honest, we were lucky to go into half time only one down.

"They had lots of possession and kept the ball well in the second half which is very disappointing.

"But this is still a learning curve for us and we know that these games are not going to be easy.

"I just feel that we're missing that little bit of luck in front of goal.

"There's never been a time when I thought that any of our strikers have missed good chances; I think it's been more of a case that we've been a bit unlucky in front of goal and maybe had a bad bobble or something."