Winning comfortably at 4-0, Stranraer suddenly switched into defensive mode and almost paid the penalty.
Brechin hard started brightly but their possession did not result in serious attempts on the home goal and Stranraer kept them out without too much effort before edging ahead after 19 minutes.
A long pass from home skipper Allan Jenkins led to David Graham bursting from midfield and though his first effort hit City keeper Craig Nelson, he picked up the rebound and steered it into the empty net.
Ten minutes later the home side were two ahead when Fraser Wright, in a ruck of players, rammed home a low corner from Kevin Finlayson.
Stranraer were in complete command and Graham might have netted again, but his low drive hit the outside of the post and went wide.
Ten minutes into the second half and Stranraer had taken their tally to four.
The first on 51 minutes fell to Finlayson, who picked up a long pass from Jenkins and hit it into the net via the inside of the post.
Three minutes later another searching pass found the City defence missing and the ball from Wright was snapped up by Graham who went on to beat the keeper with a low drive.
Stranraer made the mistake of laying back and Brechin administered a sharp two-goal lesson.
When Steven Hampshire went down in the box on 63 minutes Graeme Gibson converted the penalty kick and seven minutes later, despite a packed home defence, Paul Ritchie had an easy job in sidefooting the ball home.