After six minutes Colin Cramb beat two players and passed to give Shields another chance, but the striker was given offside. Two minutes later the visitors looked dangerous again, a Stewart Devine cross broke for Paul Hay but he drove wide.
Brechin then went on the attack and on 12 minutes Stuart Callaghan chipped the ball just wide of the target. A minute later they went near again, Stuart Ferguson headed the ball forward and Paddy Connolly was denied by the feet of Myles Hogarth.
The key moment of the game came after 20 minutes when Devine crossed for Steven Bell, who shot home to put Stirling ahead. Two minutes later Devine burst through and his shot was well saved by Craig Nelson.
A minute into the second half Hogarth saved from Darren Smith then a follow-up effort from Chris Geddes was also kept out by Hogarth.
After 62 minutes a Chris Aitken free-kick for Stirling was just tipped over by Nelson and on 71 minutes Smith should have equalised for Brechin but he put the ball over from close range.
City continued to attack and a shot from Kevin Byers was saved by Hogarth, then on 77 minutes another shot from Byers from an angle was kept out by the goalkeeper.
Stirling might have made sure of the points ten minutes from time when they hit on the break and goalscorer Bell saw his fiercely struck shot rebound off the post.
Brechin threw everything forward and seven minutes from time Byers crossed for John Ward to head narrowly wide.