Queen's Park 2-3 Brechin

Feb 3 2008 Jack Robertson Reports

DARREN SMITH helped Brechin end a horror week on a high note then admitted he was the most surprised man at Hampden when his winner hit the net.

The City captain was a key man as the Angus side came back from 2-0 down at the break to claim victory just days after they were booted out of the Scottish Cup for fielding TWO ineligible players against Hamilton.

Afterwards Smith said: "I hit the shot with my wrong foot and couldn't believe it when I saw the net bulge.

"It capped a great comeback. It has been a nightmare week - being disqualified from the Scottish Cup after getting through to play at an SPL club.

Mentally it was hard for our players to come and play a league game when we felt we should have been at Aberdeen in a big cup tie."

Brechin boss Michael O'Neill said: "Some of our players should have been facing the biggest game of their lives at Aberdeen. We were punished by red tape for an honest mistake.

"To come back from 2-0 down shows so much about my team's character."

The Spiders gave new boss Gardner Speirs a dream opening in 75 seconds with Paul Cairney's 25-yard pile-driver.

Alan Trouten was booked for diving but soon after won a penalty he converted for 2-0.

Brechin got back into it in 56 minutes when new signing Iain Diack latched onto Steve Reilly's weak header to score.

Twenty minutes from time, Smith's corner was headed home by sub Scott Walker and Smith got the winner with his screamer on 73 minutes.

Spiders boss Speirs said: "I was pleased with the first half, and though I don't want to change our passing style sometimes we have to learn to be organised and not give anything away."