Brechin City and Darvel will have to battle it out once more on Saturday for the chance to play Arbroath in the Scottish Cup.
It was not a feast of football in front of the BBC cameras, but a draw was just about the fair result on the night.
Chances were few and far between, for both sides and Brechin enjoyed slightly more of the possession but could not turn that into shots on goal.
The home side started strongly but the visitors upped the ante and scored when Jordan Allan crossed into the box and ex-Brechin player Jordan Kirkpatrick coolly volleyed in from 12 yards out.
City came out in the second half more positively and were rewarded when David Cox got a lucky break of the ball to get past Daryll Meggatt and then lashed the ball into the net past Christopher Truesdale.
There were not too many clear cut opportunities for either side after that and they’ll now have it all to do again at the weekend.
Courier sport was at the game and here are three talking points.
Need to toughen up
Brechin need to toughen up if they want to make it into the fourth round – and in League Two.
They might be scoring for fun in the Highland League but in Darvel, a league beneath them in the pyramid system, they faced a real physical test.
The forwards came up against commanding centre backs in former Dee Meggatt and Creag Little.
Going long wasn’t an option with the pair winning headers throughout and often bullied Brechin off the ball.
Darvel will now fancy their chances for the replay at their own ground with the home advantage.
But, if Brechin can replicate their league form and start delivering that final ball, which they lacked tonight, they may well find themselves facing their local rivals in the fourth round of the cup.
Max Kucheriavyi is set for big things
The young Ukranian was a shining light on an otherwise dull evening got Brechin.
The 19-year-old was plucked from obscurity and found himself at Glebe Park via St Johnstone.
Kucheriavyi is on loan at the Highland League outfit for the season and an agreement was made with the Perth outfit to let him play in this season’s cup.
Just as well for Brechin as he was the only player to persistently cause problems for the the Ayrshire side, driving at the defence with his pace.
There were a number of ‘could have been’ moments when Kucheriavyi played great balls, only for the chance to be wasted by his teammates.
Representatives from the Perth side were in attendance and will have been impressed by what they saw.
In the draw
Saturday’s replay will be tough but the main thing is Brechin are still in the Scottish Cup.
All focus will be on the replay, but the victor will face another tough clash in Arbroath at Gayfield.
Neither side would have Dick Campbell’s side down as their first choice of opponent and will go into that game as massive underdogs.
But the magic of the Scottish Cup has seen some bigger upsets and whoever goes through will go in with confidence and fancy their chances on the day.
Kevin Mackie’s Brechin City blueprint has put the smile back on the face of Angus club
