And, for Brechin, the win was all the more pleasing as it not only kept the pressure on City's main rivals Raith Rovers, whom they face at Stark's Park on Saturday, but it also meant that three points were secured in a game that should have been all over bar the shouting by half-time.

Michael O'Neill once again threw the gauntlet down to his players who passed with flying colours, albeit, doing things the hard way to some extent.

"I thought we thoroughly merited the victory," he commented. "But for a wee bit of bad luck and some good goalkeeping we could have been well out of sight in the first half and hour or so.

"We can't dictate how long the game lasts, that's down to the referee and he has obviously had some cause to add on the time he did.

"However, what's most important for us is the character we showed again. We're giving nothing away at present. We want to win every game and it doesn't matter who the opposition are, we want to get out and win matches.

"I thought there was hardly a failure in our side again and my problem isn't who to pick, it's who to leave out.

"Once again we have the likes of Gary Fusco and Adam Nelson sitting in the stand and on the bench and while we will lose some competition with Michael (Paton) returning to Aberdeen, Ian Diack has come on and won the game for us. He has to keep showing me that same sort of willingness and desire to be involved.

"Michael may have been a regular marksman for us. However, I think people would be well served to look at the number of goals he has created for other people and Saturday was a great example of that. He held off the attention of an experienced player in Kevin Fotheringham and set up Ian for the goal that won it.

"We had four strikers on the park at that stage and there was no denying our willingness to get the three points.

"The only time we switched off was at their goal and I feel for John Baird. He has been exceptional in the last two games, yet he hasn't got a goal for his efforts and I think when he does get his first he'll go on and net a few more.

"I also want to say a big thank you to Jimmy Calderwood and Jimmy Nicholl at Aberdeen for the use of Michael Paton. I hope Michael goes back there and gets in their team. He is a terrific young professional with a great attitude and he deserves to do well in the game."

This week all roads lead to Kirkcaldy and the City manager feels local shouldn't need any incentive to travel.

"It should be a tremendous game. It's a great surface down there and a nice stadium to watch football in.

"I think we played our best football of the season against Raith Rovers earlier in the season and I think we need to attain that sort of standard once again on Saturday.

" hope we get the backing of the local community, even those who don't regular go away from home."