Injury-hit Brechin picked up three crucial points in their bid to avoid the relegation play-off by beating Ayr United.
Brechin were up for it from the start and, on four minutes, Bobby Barr was denied by keeper David Hutton and then Robert Thomson failed to turn home the rebound.
The home side, fourth-placed in the league, scored two minutes later when a Darren Petrie cross was flicked home on the near post by Thomson.
Thomson sent a snap shot wide, then Craig Molloy shot wide at full stretch as Brechin tried to capitalise. Three minutes from the break, Alan Trouten had a shot deflected wide.
Ayr raised their game at the start of the second half and, on 58 minutes, Michael Moffat hit the post.
It was 2-0 on 67 minutes when Molloy collected a loose ball on the edge of the box and curled a beautiful shot just inside the post.
Ayr got a goal back on 75 minutes when Alan Forrest cut in from the left and scored with a low drive.
The visitors threw the kitchen sink at Brechin in a search of an equaliser, but the home side twice went close when Thomson and Trouten were both denied by goal-saving challenges.
Brechin manager Ray McKinnon said: “That was a big win for us as I only had 12 fit players.
“At 2-0 we were cruising, but considering the bodies we had available it was a great performance.”