A rare Scott Walker volley had given the home side an early lead which they held until half-time.
Lionel Djebi-Zadi shot County back on level terms but Brechin veteran Dave Hannah added a penalty and Grant Johnson scored an overhead kick.
However, home hopes were dashed when Sean Webb and David Winters scored two goals in a minute to ensure a draw.
BBC Online
City responded a minute later with a fine goal from the most unlikely source, skipper Scott Walker picking up a harmless looking ball 20-yards out before hammering it across and beyond McCaldon.
Brechin's Dad's Army duo of Britton and debutant David Hannah added steel and guile to Brechin's overall effort, looking quite unlike the division's bottom side. But County deserved and almost got an equaliser on the cusp of half-time, first from a deft shot and turn by David Winter, saved by keeper Nelson who was then beaten all-ends-up by a Higgins left-foot drive from 20-yards which crashed against the crossbar.
The visitors almost achieved parity on 50 minutes, Don Cowie dragging a 20-yard drive just wide - but the exotically-named giant French defender Lionel Djebi-Zadi showed his attacking colleagues the way, drilling a low precision shot home from the edge of the box, his first goal for the club. But anything he could do, Hannah could do better, also scoring his first for the club to restore City's slender advantage, a hotly-disputed penalty for hand-ball against Sean Webb as Britton was rising to head goalwards.
The Scotsman
However, Brechin went 3-1 up very much against the run of play with a rare break forward. Kevin McKinlay lost the ball in an attacking position on the right. The Brechin centre forward then easily beat two County players in his own half and ran 30 yards with the ball before crossing into the box where two Brechin players were unmarked. The ball fell to Grant Johnson who with his back to goal scored with an overhead kick which seemed to hang in the air for ages before hitting the back of the net beyond the out of position McCaldon. Schoolboy marking.
After this County threw everything at Brechin, and the players were playing as if their lives depended on getting something from the game. Craig Gunn replaced the ineffectual Gary McSwegan on 76 minutes and our play was being directed down both flanks.
With 10 minutes to go Cowie's free kick from 25 yards out swerved around the wall and was saved by the keeper on the line at the last second. Two minutes later County pulled back a goal when Sean Webb scored from two yards out following a diverted shot from Jim Lauchlan at the back post. A minute later we were level when David Winters cleverly diverted the ball into the net from 12 yards after he found himself in space inside the box - although his grasscutter seemed to take an age to cross the line.
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But a lapse of concentration saw them forced to settle for a share of the points and afterwards Scott Walker, who opened the scoring with a spectacular shot, reflected ruefully on what might have been.
“It feels like a defeat rather than a draw,” said the City fullback. “We should have done better to defend the crosses.”
n the controversial County equaliser, when it seemed the scorer David Winters had used his arm to get control of the ball and the City troops came to a halt calling foul, Walker said, “It certainly looked like he handled the ball before he played it on. But you have got to play to the whistle and we didn't.”
On the positive side, Walker was relieved to see the spirit back in his side.
e said, “We reverted to a 4-4-2 and it worked. We were more solid. They didn't really threaten us that much.
“We've been on a bit of a downer, but the team spirit was excellent today.
We've got to be positive and lift ourselves for the game on Tuesday (when league leaders come calling to the Glebe). We're looking to catch Stranraer now rather than Queen of the South.”
The Courier