Brechin's Kevin Byers opened with a 10-yard angled shot but Stranraer hit back with a three goals in the space of seven first-half minutes.
Murray Henderson banged in two headers from Lee Sharp deliveries and Allan Jenkins saw his 14-yard effort deflected past the home keeper.
After the break Byers was again on target, scoring from close range.
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EVEN as early as it is in the season this fixture looks like being important in the relegation battle in the First Division, and it was played in such a spirit. The two sides who occupied the eighth and ninth positions before kick off served up an entertaining and hard fought encounter.
The home side had the best possible start to the match, taking the lead in the third minute. The original chance was created from a great through ball from Scott Walker, giving Charlie King an opportunity in front of goal. His shot was parried by Stranraer keeper, Barry John Corr, but the defence were unable to clear convincingly as first, Steven Hampshire and then Gerry Britton had efforts blocked before Kevin Byers finally fired home the opener.
The rest of the first half was to be dominated by a Stranraer side which looked hungrier and crucially more composed than their hosts. Neil Watt's charges equalised in the 13th minute from a Lee Sharp free kick. His flighted ball in from the right was met by central defender Murray Henderson as he rose above the defence and headed over Brechin's Craig Nelson to score the equaliser.
Stranraer took the lead three minutes later, in an almost identical manner. The same two players who had cancelled out Brechin's lead again combined to take the lead for the away side. Again, the goal came from a set piece, this time it was Sharp's corner kick that Henderson powered towards goal with his head and although Nelson got a hand to it he was unable to prevent it going into the net.
On 20 minutes, Stranraer extended their lead after excellent work in the box by Michael Moore. He held off his marker and was able to manoeuvre into a position which allowed him to tee up his captain, Allan Jenkins. The powerful midfielder then gave Nelson no chance as he struck the ball low and firmly into the net from 12 yards out to make it 3-1.
At this stage half time couldn't come quick enough for Brechin manager Iain Campbell. Moore should have added to the Fifer's problems in the 29th minutes when a seemingly harmless ball from midfield was completely misjudged by the whole Brechin back line, leaving Moore with only the keeper to beat.
Moore looked to have done everything right and he lofted the ball over the onrushing Nelson, unfortunately for him and Stranraer, however, the ball also cleared the bar.
The home side improved greatly in the second half and were given just rewards for this improvement in the 57th minute when Byers scored his second of the game after Corr saved shots from Hampshire and then Britton.
For the remainder of the match, Brechin lay siege to the Stranraer goal and the home side very nearly gained a share of the points in the 89th minute when substitute Paul Ritchie knocked a high ball down to Stuart Callaghan on the edge of the box but his shot rifled just over the top of Corr's goal, as Stranraer held on to the points.
The Scotsman
TWO GOALS from Brechin City’s Kevin Byers were not enough to earn even a share of the points when they hosted Stranraer.
The midfielder gave the Glebe Park side a dream start, netting when the game was just a couple of minutes old.
However, three Stranraer goals in a seven-minute first half spell proved too big an obstacle to overcome.
Minutes before the hour mark, Byers surely staked his claim for a regular slot when he was once again in the right position from a rebound to guide the ball into the net.
City then went on to dominate the rest of the game, but their late comeback proved in vain.
“We really penned them in towards the end,” said Byers. “But we paid the price for our own mistakes.”
Reflecting on Stranraer’s first two goals, both headers by Murray Henderson, Byers said, “Their boy headed well. He was big enough and brave enough. But we should be able to withstand that. We’ve got as big a presence.
“We’re all in this together. It’s the result that matters, more than who gets the goals.
“It’s really disappointing to get nothing when we had a lot of the possession and created a lot,” he added.
“Every single game we’ve lost has been by the odd goal. Last week was the same. We had a disappointing first half, then it becomes hard to peg them back.
“Maybe last year we could have come back from the position of being two down, but in this division the teams are better equipped and given a bit of light they’re away.”
On paper at least, the Stranraer game offered City a great opportunity of recording their first win of the league campaign.
But the visitors soon proved their strength when they stormed into a 3-1 lead. They levelled the match on 12 mins when Henderson, from a Lee Sharp corner, headed past Craig Nelson.
Three minutes later the visitors grabbed their second in identical fashion. Once again a corner from the right by Sharp was nodded towards goal by Henderson, and although Nelson got his hand to the ball he was unable to keep it out of the net.
Four minutes after that Stranraer went two ahead when Michael Moore held the ball up well to set up captain Allan Jenkins to drill low into the far corner.
Scathing of his men’s costly concentration lapse, City manager Ian Campbell said, “We handed them three of the softest goals you will ever see in your life. They scored from set pieces. They hardly had any open play. But we’ve handed them an early Christmas present. They’re away down the road with the three points.
“We got off to a good start. We were applying ourselves, scored an early goal and were looking better.
“Then for 15 minutes we went to sleep. That’s four games we’ve lost by a goal.
“In the second half, we went to the byline about 12 times. We were getting in behind them and creating chances but you are up against it after you lose three.
“It’s important you don’t give away stupid goals. That is down to concentration and a few other things we will have to sort out.
“We are down at the bottom where we don’t want to be and it’s hugely disappointing.”
The Courier