Despite the sometimes horrendous conditions the two teams combined to produce a good game for the freezing spectators in the stands.

And Brechin will be delighted with their performance. After holding their own in the first half, despite playing into gale force gusts, they turned the screw following the interval and made full use of the wind at their backs to give Airdrie a torrid time.

And the winner came with five minutes remaining when brothers Richard and Nicky Walker linked up to finish off the visitors' challenge.

The faithful may have been made to wait until late in the match for Brechin's seemingly inevitable winner, but the margin of victory could easily have been greater - with cracking efforts from Kevin Byers and Gary Fusco both denied by the woodwork.

That said, Brechin got their match off to the worst possible start when, with just three minutes on the clock, Airdrie caught City's defence napping. Graeme Holmes ran down the right and crossed across the face of goal for Stuart Noble to slot home for 1-0.

Fortunately, Brechin bounced back almost immediately and, on seven minutes, the sides were level. The ball was fed to Ian Diack on the edge of the area, and he produced a lovely pass on the turn to take one Airdrie player out of the equation and set up Michael Paton, who ran into the box and coolly slotted the ball to the keeper's right for the equaliser.

Airdrie had a gilt edged chance to restore their lead on 24 minutes when defender John Ward clipped a player in the Brechin box and he went down. The ref duly pointed to the spot and Stuart Noble stepped up to take the resultant kick.

Luckily for Brechin though, Noble's penalty would have been more at home on a rugby pitch and it flew harmlessly miles over the bar, much to the derision of the fans.

By now the wintry conditions turned even worse, and the pitch was hit by near blizzard conditions - which made Craig Nelson's save on 30 minutes all the more remarkable. Richard Waddell fired in a shot, and despite his view being obstructed by players and the snow lashing his face, Nelson produced a diving save to turn the ball wide for a corner.

Two minutes later Brechin threatened to score when a corner came out to Richard Walker and he fired a rocket at the Airdrie goal from outside the box, which flew past the post.

By now the game was end to end stuff, with both teams looking to break quickly when possession came their way.

A minute before the interval Gary Fusco almost scored with an absolute gem of an effort. Ian Diack put in a free kick which was cleared, but only as far as Fusco, who sent a screamer of a volleyed towards the goal only to see it clip the right hand post and out.

After the break, City had the wind to their backs and made full use of the advantage to create more chances.

On 51 minutes Ian Diack went close with a turn and shot which just drifted wide of the left post.

Then on 59 minutes, Darren Smith was sent clear down the left and passed the ball into the middle under pressure - but his effort was too hard for the men running in.

Twenty minutes into the second-half Brechin went close again. Kevin Byers was very, very unlucky not to score with his effort - he turned his man and fired a low drive in from the edge of the box which keeper Stephen Robertson pushed onto the upright.

Time was beginning to tick away and folk were beginning to wonder if it would be Brechin's day, especially when, with thirteen minutes remaining, the Airdrie defence bumbled and Diack found himself clean through on goal.

Unfortunately the ball bobbled for him, giving the visiting defence the chance to catch up and close him down on the edge of the box.

However, Brechin didn't have long to wait for the winner and, with five minutes remaining Richard Walker fed a pass into the box which the keeper failed to punch clear properly and, after a short goalmouth melee, Walker's brother Nicky stabbed home.

In stoppage time Diack was unlucky not to add to Brechin's tally when he found himself one-on-one with the keeper. With defenders closing in rapidly, he unleashed a shot which the keeper saved with his finger tips.

Brechin - C. Nelson, R. Walker, Dyer, Ward, S. Walker, Fusco, Byers, Paton, Diack, King, D. Smith (N. Walker 82); Not used - C. Smith, White, Jancyzk, McCluskey.

Airdrie United - Robertson, Campbell, Lovering (Gillies 40), Donnelly, Smyth, Andreoni, Prunty, Noble, Russell, Holmes (Watt 77), Waddell. Not used - Fox, Brady, Hollis.

Referee - Alan Freeland.
Attendance - 466.