Brechin came out on top in the first Angus derby of the season, beating Forfar at Glebe Park.
City deserved their victory as they dominated for long spells in the game, but the big talking-point was the dramatic final couple of minutes when the Loons almost snatched an unlikely point after being awarded two penalties by referee Euan Anderson.
Iain Campbell converted the first penalty in the 90th minute but City keeper Graeme Smith saved the second spot-kick a minute later.
City boss Ray McKinnon refused to be drawn on the controversy of the final couple of minutes, preferring instead to praise his team on their victory. He said: “We played with a lot of style and created a number of chances in the first-half and we continued in the same vein after the break.
“At 2-0 up, the next goal was always going to be crucial and the fact that we didn’t add to our tally gave Forfar hope and they got a break in the final minute when they scored from a penalty.
“Incredibly, they were awarded another penalty just a minute later which, thankfully, Graeme Smith saved.”
“However, if we’d dropped points today we would have been bitterly disappointed as I thought that we were excellent for 75 minutes of the game.”
City grabbed the opener after 18 minutes when an Andy Jackson shot cannoned off a Loons defender into the path of midfielder Craig Molloy who dispatched a low drive into the net and they doubled their lead eight minutes into the second-half when Alan Trouten finished off a great four-man move to slot the ball home from two yards.
Forfar looked dead and buried but battled on and dramatically reduced the deficit after former City striker Chris Templeman was brought down by Gerry McGlauchlan in the penalty box.
The Loons were sensationally awarded another penalty seconds later when Smith, who had previously been booked, fouled Gavin Swankie in the box.
The big keeper, however, made amends when he brought off a great save to deny Campbell.
Forfar boss Dick Campbell said: “I would never advocate anyone being sent off but I have to say that I thought that it was a strange decision by the referee that the Brechin keeper was allowed to stay on the park, but I’ve been in football a long time and nothing now really surprises me.
“However, I thought that Brechin deserved to win the game. We definitely missed Mark McCulloch and Darren Dods, along with Stuart Malcolm who also didn’t play.