READING’S James Dale only came up to Scotland to study business at Stirling University, but history has now become his specialist subject after holding his nerve amid unbearable tension to convert the penalty that ensures Brechin’s Championship status for the first time since 2006.

Two goals from the former student book-ended a breathless seven-goal thriller at the Indodrill Stadium as both sides ignored any thoughts of defence and went all-out for promotion. Dale’s spectacular opening effort, together with a 1-0 win at Glebe Park on Wednesday, appeared to put City in command shortly before half time.

Paul McLean and Liam Watt twice brought them to the brink of victory in the second half, yet Greig Spence’s hat-trick for Alloa meant Brechin had to go all the way to a shoot-out to finally get the job done.

“That was a special, special day for the team, for the manager and the fans,” smiled Dale.

“I don’t really know how we’ve done it, but after finishing only fourth in the league we’ve beaten Raith Rovers and Alloa in the play-offs and now we’re back in the Championship! We’ve been written off by pretty much everyone this year, but we’re a very competitive team and we all work hard. There’s great team spirit and a real sense of togetherness too, especially in recent weeks.

“I can’t exactly remember what happened with the first goal. I just curled it and fortunately it beat the keeper and ended up in the back of the net.”

Dale was due to leave Glebe Park this summer, but manager Darren Dods, having also worked with the player at Forfar, admitted that he will move heaven and earth to keep his trusted lieutenant at the club.

“I’ve definitely got to thank the manager because he has always believed in me,” said Dale. 

“I was going back down south this summer for various different reasons, but things might change now that we’ve got promotion!”

Purists may complain about the unfairness of the system which ultimately stung the Wasps despite finishing the regular season two places and 12 points ahead of their conquerors.

They also embarrassed Brechin 6-1 at the same venue just five weeks previously and have not tasted defeat on their home patch since Peterhead won there in mid-January, yet it all counted for nothing on Saturday. How manager Jim Goodwin and his players must long for the old days when the runners-up were automatically promoted with the champions.

It would be churlish, though, to downplay Brechin’s achievement after the part-timers survived a punishing ten-day schedule of four 90-minute matches plus two periods of extra time and two penalty shoot-outs.
Despite his crushing disappointment, Spence showed laudable character by bravely facing up to the media just moments after Dale’s penalty had dashed Alloa’s promotion hopes.

Spence’s hat-trick hoisted his season’s tally to 26, but the play-offs have been a mixed bag for him. Few will forget his jaw-dropping miss from point-blank range against Airdrie last week, and while that did not prove costly, his final miss did as he and Iain Flannigan, who both scored twice in the 6-1 victory, failed to find the target in the shoot-out.

“I’d taken six penalties this season and scored all six,” pointed out Spence, one of the six making it 1-1 on Saturday.

“I’m always confident when I step up to take a penalty kick, but it just wasn’t meant to be for me this time. It certainly wasn’t a case of nerves or a lack of bottle – I just picked a corner and their keeper (Graeme Smith) happened to pick the same side and saved it. That game just shows you the highs and lows of football, and what I’m feeling right now is the worst I’ve ever felt. As a team, we’re absolutely gutted. We’ve trained and worked so hard this season and we genuinely believe we’re the second-best team in the league behind Livingston.”