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Cowdenbeath 0 Stranraer 1
Saturday, October 4
Third Division
Scorer - Moore (8, pen)
After last week's rousing performance at Elgin, Cowden slumped to their third successive 1-0 defeat at Central Park. Their was little to enthuse about here with both sides failing to make any impression up front.
Young striker Liam Buchanan failed a fitness test and his place was taken by utility man Ross Matheson. Gary Fusco was relegated to the bench as Calvin Shand returned to the starting line-up.
The first incident of note led to the opening goal. Bryan Gilfillan tussled with Kevin Finlayson in the box and the referee ruled that an infringement had occurred and pointed to the spot. Michael Moore elected to take the kick and slotted confidently into the corner of the net, sending Andy Carlin the wrong way.
Cowden's best chance of the opening 45 minutes arrived when Dene Shields chased a lost cause to win a corner kick. The ball fell to Dave Mowat who shot through a ruck of players only to be denied by a reflex fingertip save from Andrew McConnachie. Stranraer rarely looked like extending their lead and Carlin dealt comfortably with a 20-yard effort from Finlayson. Shields came close for Cowden on the stroke of time with a snapshot from the edge of the box which was pushed over by McConnachie.
Things didn't improve after the break as both sides huffed and puffed without putting the defences under any serious strain. Gilfillan sent a looping header towards goal which caught McConnachie unawares, the Stranraer keeper saving bizarrely with his leg. At the other end, David Graham breached the Blue Brazil defence but was halted by a tackle from Innes Ritchie as he prepared to shoot.
Cowden boss Keith Wright tried to pep things up by introducing Kevin Gordon and John Slaven but the match drifted towards a dreary denouement, although Gilfillan again came close with a header and Gordon saw his injury-time effort fisted over the bar.
This was a dreadful affair which is best forgotten. However, the lack of form at Central Park is worrying and the Blue Brazil must get this monkey off their backs if they are to stave off the reappearance of the dreaded home hoodoo.
Cowdenbeath - Andy Carlin, Calvin Shand, Dave McInally (John Slaven, 60), Bryan Gilfillan, John McKeown, Innes Ritchie, Dave Mowat, Craig Winter, Graeme Brown, Dene Shields, Ross Matheson (Kevin Gordon, 56).
Subs Not Used - Adam Moffat, Gary Fusco, Allan Fleming
Booked - Bryan Gilfillan, John McKeown
Crowd - 232
Star Men - 1) Dene Shields, 2) Dave Mowat, 3) Craig Winter
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Elgin 0 Cowdenbeath 4
Saturday, September 27
Third Division
Scorers - Buchanan (12), Shields (67, 86), Ritchie (83)
Cowden destroyed Elgin with a second-half goal blitz which gave Keith Wright's men a handsome victory. Indeed, had the Blue Brazil made more of their first-half opportunities, the end result could easily have been higher.
After the impressive performance against Dunfermline three days earlier, Wright stuck with the same formation, although Gary Fusco deputised for the injured Kevin Gordon.
The Blue Brazil almost took an early lead when Dene Shields skipped past his marker and delivered a tempting cross but Dave McInally and Liam Buchanan were denied by a fantastic double-save from Martin Pirie. The opening goal wasn't delayed for long and Graeme Brown started the move when he shrugged off his marker and played the ball wide to McInally. The outside left picked out Buchanan in the box and the little striker swept the ball into the corner of the net.
Minutes later, Buchanan was again in the thick of the action when he carved an opening for himself before being pulled down by the City centre half. Buchanan grabbed the ball and placed it on the spot but his penalty was saved by Pirie who flung himself to his right.
Elgin's Alex bone had a go from the edge of the box but Andy Carlin was equal to the task It was the only real effort of note by the home side during the first half and Cowden were soon on the offensive again. Buchanan sent in a dipping half-volley which beat Pirie all ends up but rebounded from the crossbar.
The Blue Brazil continued to pile on the pressure after the break and Brown's cross found Buchanan at the back post but he was unable to force the ball over the line. Despite their domination, Cowden were still vulnerable to a breakaway goal and it almost happened when John Allison got behind the defence but a superb saving tackle from Bryan Gilfillan - rapidly becoming a trademark for the blond defender - saved the day.
The vital second goal was created by Brown who waltzed into the box and delivered a square ball to Shields who kept his composure to slot home his first ever Cowden strike. The points were wrapped up when Shields delivered a free kick to the near post and Innes Ritchie outjumped the home defence to glance the ball home.
Shields completed a fruitful afternoon when he ran on to a long ball from defence and arrowed in on goal before unleashing an unstoppable drive which flew into the net. McInally should have increased the margin when he too stormed the Elgin penalty area but his final effort was wide of the target. Deep into injury time, substitute John Slaven's effort was parried and the ball trickled through to Shields who seemed certain to complete his hat-trick. He went for the glory finish and blasted over instead of simply sidefooting over the line.
The result will have restored confidence to the ranks and Cowden will be looking to defeat Stranraer next week and make further strides up the table.
Cowdenbeath - Andy Carlin, Dave Mowat (Calvin Shand, 66), Dave McInally, Bryan Gilfillan, John McKeown, Innes Ritchie, Gary Fusco (Ross Matheson, 60), Craig Winter, Graeme Brown, Dene Shields, Liam Buchanan (John Slaven, 76).
Not Used - Darren McGregor, Allan Fleming
Booked - None
Crowd - 665
Star Men - 1) Dene Shields, 2) Bryan Gilfillan, 3) Liam Buchanan
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Dunfermline 2 Cowdenbeath 0
Wednesday, September 24
League Cup - Second Round
Scorers - Crawford (55), Brewster (64)
The scoreline looks creditable on paper but tells only part of the story as Cowden belied their lowly league position and made a storming start to this League Cup tie. The Blue Brazil should have been ahead at the interval, only poor finishing and some fine goalkeeping from Derek Stillie saving the Pars blushes. East End boss Jimmy Calderwood later admitted that his side got off lightly and was full of praise for Cowden's efforts.
With Calvin Shand suspended, Keith Wright was forced to reorganise his defence. Innes Ritchie came into the side and partnered John McKeown in the middle while Dave Mowat and Bryan Gilfillan filled the full-back slots. Before the match, Wright had stated that he intended having a real go at Dunfermline, a fact evinced by the inclusion of Liam Buchanan and Dene Shields alongside key striker Graeme Brown.
Backed by a vocal support which numbered in excess of 500, Cowden surged forward from the outset and a total of six corners were forced during the opening 15 minutes. A neutral observer would certainly have mistaken the Blue Brazil as the SPL outfit and several chances were created during this scintillating period. Buchanan made a good run but was thwarted by the alert Stillie in the home goal. Kevin Gordon fired the ball back into the danger zone and found Bryan Gilfillan but he headed over.
Innes Ritchie also came close with an aerial effort before an even better opportunity presented itself. An audacious overhead kick from Dene Shields forced Stillie to scramble the ball round the post and the keeper then produced a magnificent stop on the line as John McKeown powered a header towards goal from the resultant corner.
Cowden's best chance of the match arrived on the half-hour mark when Andy Tod - under pressure from Buchanan - failed to clear his lines and left Brown in the clear. He looked up, picked his spot and the fans were on their feet but the ball slipped past the post by a matter of inches.
The Pars could only muster one shot on target during the whole of the first half but Andy Carlin dealt comfortably with Darren Young's effort. Former Rangers man Barry Nicholson also came close for the home side when he blasted wide after finding space in the box. The paucity of scoring opportunities for the Pars emphasised the superb organisation within the Cowden defence.
Dunfermline looked much sharper after the break and Carlin produced a fine block from a Stevie Crawford drive. The Scotland striker was beginning to look dangerous and, ten minutes into the second half, he shot the Pars ahead after picking up a loose ball and lashing it home from the edge of the box.
Cowden tried to hit back immediately and Buchanan clashed with Stillie as they challenged for a cross ball. But the full-time fitness of the home side began to sap the Blue Brazil's stamina and Craig Brewster added a crucial second goal when he was afforded space at the back post to head a corner kick into the net.
At no point did Cowden let their heads drop and they remained committed to an attacking policy, although fatigue was taking the sheen off their forward play. Meanwhile, Carlin kept the Blue Brazil's slim hopes alive when he turned a glancing header from Brewster round the post. There was a brief scramble in the Dunfermline box when Stillie fumbled a Dave McInally corner but Cowden were unable to force the ball over the line.
With time running out, Brown appeared to be pushed from behind as he atttempted to head a cross towards goal but referee Hugh Dallas opted to take no action. Brown was also pulled down on the half-way line as he attempted to break clear of the defence but Dallas somehow permitted the previously booked Tod to remain on the park, proving that FIFA status does not make one immune to inconsistencies.
Summing up, it was a heroic display from Cowden who went into this game as massive underdogs but emerged with their pride fully intact. If they can duplicate this attitude at Elgin on Saturday, a climb up the league table may be on the cards.
Cowdenbeath - Andy Carlin, Dave Mowat, Dave McInally, Bryan Gilfillan, John McKeown, Innes Ritchie, Dene Shields (Gary Fusco, 67), Craig Winter, Graeme Brown, Kevin Gordon, Liam Buchanan (Iain Mauchlen, 60)
Not Used - John Slaven, Ross Matheson, Allan Fleming.
Booked - Winter
Crowd - 3582
Star Men - 1) Innes Ritchie, 2) Bryan Gilfillan, 3) Dene Shields
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Cowdenbeath 0 Gretna 1
Saturday, September 20
Third Division
Scorer - Mowat (og, 70)
Cowden crashed to yet another home league defeat and once again the seeds of destruction were sown on the stroke of half time when the Blue Brazil found themselves reduced to ten men.
Dependable right back Calvin Shand was given his marching orders following an incident which was picked up by the stand side linesman. This left Cowden with an uphill battle and the visitors eventually found the net - although it required an own goal from David Mowat to break the deadlock.
Keith Wright made two changes to the side which lost to Queen's Park last week. The suspended Ian Morris was replaced by Ross Matheson and Iain Mauchlen was dropped in favour of Kevin Gordon.
The Blue Brazil opened strongly and should have taken the lead with just three minutes on the clock. Gordon released Dave McInally on the left flank and he floated over an inviting cross for Graeme Brown but the striker blazed over the bar from point-blank range.
Goalmouth incidents were few and far between but Cowden were marginally on top. There was an injury scare for the Blue Brazil when goalkeeper Andy Carlin and central defender Bryan Gilfillan collided with each other but both men were able to carry on after treatment.
The visitors were not posing much of a threat during the first half and their only serious attempt on goal was an acrobatic strike by Gary Cohen which was held on the line by Carlin. The Blue Brazil carved out another opening and McInally was again the architect. This time, he sent his cross to the near post but Brown again misdirected his effort.
So far, so good, but the hammer blow was just around the corner. Calvin Shand was involved in a tussle with a Gretna forward but play carried on until the referee stopped play for a separate incident. The stand-side linesman's flag was ominously raised and - following consultation between the officials - Shand was shown the red card, ostensibly for aiming a discrete kick at his opponent.
Gretna came out of their shell in the second half now that they had the advantage of an extra man. They came close when Carlin misjudged a cross and the ball fell to Mark Eccles but he hooked over the bar from 15 yards. Cohen breached the Blue Brazil defence and worked himself into a good position but he pulled his effort wide.
Cowden were involved in a couple of neat breakaway moves but the final ball failed to trouble the efficient Gretna defence. The border side almost gained the upper hand when veteran David Irons struck the post with a quickly-taken free kick. When the goal finally did arrive, it was a bizarre affair. Gilfillan appeared to have won an aerial duel but the ball took a bad bounce and left Martin Cameron in the clear. He seemed certain to score until Dave Mowat came flying in on his blind side. The Cowden defender tried to knock the ball out for a corner but ended up steering it into his own net.
Gretna almost added a second when Irons was sent clean through but Gilfillan raced back to make a tremendous saving tackle to deny the player/manager. Cowden pushed forward in the closing stages in search of an equaliser and almost managed it when Brown retrieved a loose ball and chipped it over the advancing keeper. The home fans began to cheer but their cries were silenced when a Gretna defender launched himself at the ball and somehow managed to keep it out.
The match ended with a conflagration involving Bryan Gilfillan and an opponent. The Gretna man twice raised his hands to Gilfillan in full view of the referee yet he was permitted to remain on the park and the man in black left the field with boos ringing in his ears.
Cowden remain without a home victory in the league and once again they were guilty of shooting themselves in the foot. The cup match at Dunfermline will give the squad a break from the pressures of the league and you never know what may happen in a one-off fixture.
Cowdenbeath - Andy Carlin, Calvin Shand, Dave McInally, Bryan Gilfillan, John McKeown, Dave Mowat (Liam Buchanan, 81), Ross Matheson (Iain Mauchlen, 50), Craig Winter, Graeme Brown, Kevin Gordon, Dene Shields (Adam Moffat, 59).
Not Used - Allan Fleming, Innes Ritchie.
Sent Off - Shand (43)
Booked - Brown, Mowat, Gilfillan
Crowd - 235
Star Men - 1) Bryan Gilfillan, 2) Craig Winter, 3) Andy Carlin
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Cowdenbeath 0 Queen's Park 1
Saturday, September 13
Third Division
Scorer - Canning (48)
Cowden slumped to their second successive home league defeat of the new season but their cause was hardly aided by a draconian performance from referee Tom Brown who sent Ian Morris packing on the stroke of half-time following the most innocuous of fouls.
In a poor match, Brown incurred the wrath of both sets of fans as he booked a multitude of players despite the fact that there was scarcely a dirty tackle in the entire 90 minutes.
After demolishing Alloa in the League Cup, Cowden were unchanged but a notable inclusion on the bench was new signing Innes Ritchie. The Spiders were the first side to mount a serious attack and things looked ominous when McAuley burst into the box. Fortunately Andy Carlin was quick off the mark and forced the striker to take a wide path around him. McAuley still got his shot on target but John McKeown slid in to clear the ball off the line.
Reilly was next to have a go for the visitors but he blasted wide from the edge of the box. At the other end, Bryan Gilfillan's netbound header was deflected round the post for a corner.
In a moment of drama, Graeme Brown charged down a kick-out but the Queen's keeper kept his cool and managed to smother the ball as Brown was ready to pounce. Then began the series of bookings as both Mauchlen and Morris had their names taken.
Carlin pulled off a fine save in the Cowden goal when he got down well to block an effort from Sinclair. Shortly afterwards, Brown breached the Spiders' defence but was held back 20 yards from goal. Unfortunately, the free kick came to nothing - a state of affairs which was to plague the Blue Brazil all afternoon.
The visitors again looked dangerous but Gilfillan put in a great saving tackle to keep the scoreline blank. One minute before the break, Ian Morris was involved in a minor midfield skirmish and referee Brown flashed the red card, one of the harshest decisions seen at central Park in a long time.
The Blue Brazil were up against it in the second half and a dipping shot from Canning almost deceived Carlin. The Queen's player wasn't denied for long and he latched onto a long free kick to dispatch a powerful effort into the corner of the net from the edge of the penalty area. Reilly once again came close for the Spiders as they sought the crucial second goal which would secure the points.
Cowden introduced Kevin Gordon and new-boy Innes Ritchie and their arrival pepped up the side. Dene Shields unleashed a blistering drive from the 18-yard line which Scrimgour did well to parry. In the Cowden goal, Carlin was almost caught out by a swirling cross from Ferry which bounced off the crossbar.
The Blue Brazil summoned every last ounce of effort and Shields twice troubled the Spider's rearguard with his trademark charges through the middle. The first time around, only a fine tackle prevented him from shooting and, right at the death, Scrimgour rushed from his line to block with his shoulder.
This match was a real disappointment after the success against Alloa the previous week. Still, Cowden haven't lost too much ground in the table and they have a chance to redeem themselves next week when border boys Gretna come calling.
Cowdenbeath - Andy Carlin, Calvin Shand (Innes Ritchie, 55), Dave McInally, Bryan Gilfillan, John McKeown, Dave Mowat (Ross Matheson, 80), Ian Mauchlen (Kevin Gordon, 55), Craig Winter, Graeme Brown, Dene Shields, Ian Morris.
Not Used - Stevie Boyle, Allan Fleming
Sent Off - Morris (44)
Booked - Mauchlen, McKeown, McInally
Crowd - 359
Star Men - 1) Bryan Gilfillan, 2) Graeme Brown, 3) Dene Shields
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Cowdenbeath 3 Alloa 0
Tuesday, September 2
League Cup - First Round
Scorers - McInally (65, 82), Morris (67 pen)
Cowden stormed into the second round of the League Cup after dismantling an Alloa side who were never at the races. The Blue Brazil looked like a different side to the one which was held to a draw by East Stirling in the previous game.
New signing Dene Shields made his starting debut up front and played a blinder alongside fellow forward Graeme Brown. Another new face in the line-up was Iain Mauchlen who came in at the expense of Adam Moffat. A key tactical shift was the deployment of Dave McInally as a wide left midfielder and he hared up and down the flank leaving the Wasps defence trailing in his wake.
Playing with a yellow ball and under a full complement of floodlights, Cowden proceeded to dominate the tie but it was the visitors who almost made an early breakthrough. Fortunately, Calvin Shand put in a saving tackle on the six-yard line.
The Blue Brazil took over and Shields swivelled in the box but shot wide of the target. Shields carved another opening after picking up a great cut-back from Brown but he was unable to get sufficient force behind his effort. The next chance fell to McInally who blazed over after being picked out by Shields.
Brown was revelling in his new-found role of creative front man and he fed Morris whose long-range shot squirmed from Gary McGlyn's grasp. McInally reached the rebound but the Wasps keeper pulled off a fine block. Shields was involved again when his 25-yarder appeared to be heading into the corner but McGlyn flung himself across goal to fingtertip the ball round the post.
Alloa's solitary shot on target came just before the break, Andy Carlin getting down well to hold a drive from Kelbie. The second half took a good twenty minutes to warm up but the match was about to explode into life.
Shand won possession on the right touchline and slipped the ball to Craig Winter who sent a low cross into the box. After taking a deflection off a defender, the ball fell to McInally who fired into the corner of the net from 12 yards.
The visitors barely had time to draw breath before they found themselves two goals down. Shields steamed through the middle and was just about to shoot when he was wrestled to the ground by Stuart Valentine. The referee instantly pointed to the spot but surprisingly took a lenient view of the incident and administered just a yellow card.
Morris stepped up to slot past McGlyn and become Cowden's top scorer in the process. Cowden had their tails up and McInally squared to Brown in the Box but McGlyn saved at the feet of the blonde marksman. The ball rebounded to Shields who seemed certain to score but he drove over the bar when a simple sidefoot would have done the job.
The Blue Brazil extended their lead when Brown gathered the ball on the right and glanced across to see McInally charging through the middle alone. Brown's pass was inch-perfect and McInally took the ball into the box before slotting home his second of the night. Amazingly, Cowden weren't finished and Brown's shot from an acute angle was partially blocked by the keeper and the ball rolled tantalisingly along the line but McInally was unable to reach it.
A spectacular return to form from the Blue Brazil and they will be looking to make an impact in the brace of home fixtures which lie ahead. A second-round tie against a big club wouldn't go amiss either!
Cowdenbeath - Andy Carlin, Calvin Shand, Dave McInally, Bryan Gilfillan, John McKeown, Dave Mowat, Iain Mauchlen (Kevin Gordon, 60), Craig Winter, Graeme Brown, Dene Shields (Ross Matheson, 86), Ian Morris.
Not Used - Adam Moffat, Andy Campbell, Allan Fleming
Booked - Mowat
Crowd - 288
Star Men - 1) Dene Shields, 2) Dave McInally, 3) Graeme Brown
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East Stirling 1 Cowdenbeath 1
Saturday, August 30
Third Division
Cowdenbeath - Morris (83)
East Stirling - Ormiston (64)
Cowden dropped a disappointing two points against an East Stirling side who have not had their troubles to seek in recent months. The match was a rather drab affair and although the Blue Brazil dominated, they lacked a knockout punch up front and the Shire keeper was only occasionally put to the test.
Blue Brazil boss Keith Wright dropped Iain Mauchlen from the side which won impressively at Montrose the previous week. He was replaced by Kevin Gordon, who has played in every match since arriving at Central Park 12 months ago.
Cowden began the match in determined fashion and an early long-range effort from Dave McInally was beaten away by Connolly in the Shire goal. Cowden continued on the offensive and Dave Mowat headed an Adam Moffat cross back across the face of goal but found no takers. Clear-cut chances were something of a rarity during the opening period as the match became bogged down for long spells. The Blue Brazil were awarded a free kick on the edge of the box which looked promising but McInally's normally reliable left foot sent the ball well wide of goal.
Shire failed to win a single corner in the first half and Cowden maintained their grip on the match after the break. The chances were now starting to come but the Blue Brazil had left their shooting boots in the dressing room. McInally embarked upon a fine solo run which presented him with a clear sight of goal but his final effort was weak. Graeme Brown, uncharacteristically quiet up front, awoke from his slumber to nod a cross from Morris towards goal but Connolly managed to palm the ball onto the post.
It seemed as if the Blue Brazil meant business and the introduction of new striker Dene Shields increased the sense of anticipation among the travelling support which thronged the terracing. Meanwhile, the home side had their first serious attempt on goal when one-time Cowden trialist Jordan Leishman sent a shot whistling inches past.
Cowden should have taken the lead when a great lay-off from Brown allowed Gordon to run through unchallenged but his attempt drifted just wide of the mark. The Blue Brazil were to rue that miss when Shire scored one minute later. It looked as if the Cowden defence had routinely mopped up a poorly-executed free kick but Moffat inexplicably gifted possession to David Ormiston who made no mistake with just Andy Carlin to beat.
The goal stung the Blue Brazil into retaliatory action and another mazy run from McInally saw him pick out Brown in the box but Connolly dived to clutch the resultant header. As Cowden continued to exert pressure on the Shire defence, they were awarded a free kick 25 yards from goal. This time it was Morris who stepped up and he sent a glorious shot into the corner of the net to square the match with seven minutes remaining.
There was still time to snatch a last-gasp winner and Shields nearly managed it when he broke through the serried home ranks but Connolly stood up well to his fierce shot. Shire weren't finished either and Carlin denied Kelly right at the death with a fine diving save.
This was a match which Cowden should have won but things failed to click up front and the Blue Brazil will have to rediscover their scoring touch if they are to avoid becoming detached from the pack over the next month.
Cowdenbeath - Andy Carlin, Calvin Shand, Dave McInally, Bryan Gilfillan, John McKeown, Dave Mowat (Dene Shields, 56), Adam Moffat (Ross Matheson, 74), Craig Winter, Graeme Brown, Kevin Gordon, Ian Morris.
Not Used - Gary Fusco, Andy Campbell, Allan Fleming
Booked - Winter, Shand
Crowd - 296
Star Men - 1) John McKeown, 2) Bryan Gilfillan, 3) Calvin Shand
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Montrose 1 Cowdenbeath 3
Saturday, August 23
Third Division
Cowdenbeath - Morris (17), Brown (52), Winter (85)
Montrose - Michie (16)
Cowden jumped into a mid-table position after comfortably defeating Montrose at a sunny Links Park. Keith Wright reorganised his side after the previous week's debacle against Albion Rovers and the Blue Brazil emerged with a new-look defence and attack.
The Campbell/Mowat defensive partnership was dismantled in favour of Bryan Gilfillan and John McKeown. In a bold move, Ian Morris was promoted to the front-line where he performed magnificently alongside top marksman Graeme Brown, who was returning from suspension. Meanwhile in midfield, Ross Matheson made way for Iain Mauchlen who has now recovered from injury.
It was a solid all-round performance from the Blue Brazil and there were no visible holes in the side. The defence nullified the aerial threat from their opponents, a trait not in evidence last week. In attack, Brown benefitted immensely from Morris's ability to knock the ball into his path and Cowden dominated the majority of the match.
Dave Mowat was handed an early opportunity when Mauchlen picked him out with a searching pass but the defender-turned-midfielder's first touch let him down and the shooting chance was lost. At the other end, Scott Michie directed a fine drive towards goal but Andy Carlin was equal to the task.
It was the Gable Endies who seized the early initiative when Michie picked up a loose ball 40 yards from goal and ran through to shoot the Angus side ahead via the inside of the post.
Cowden's riposte was immediate. Craig Winter threaded the ball through to Ian Morris who kept his composure to steer a shot past Jim Butter from 15 yards. It was back to level pegging and the Blue Brazil began to show they meant business. Morris again breached the home defence and attempted to place a shot into the corner of the net but saw his effort tipped round the post by the alert Butter.
The Blue Brazil had finished the opening period as the stronger side and they soon gained the upper hand after the resumption of play. Mowat was fouled on the right and from the free kick, the ball fell to Graeme Brown who was lurking on the 18-yard line. He crashed a volley into the net which beat Butter at his near post - a truly spectacular strike.
Sensing yet another home defeat, the Gable Endies upped the tempo but the Blue Brazil rearguard were not in a charitable mood. Andy Campbell replaced Calvin Shand and Kevin Gordon took over from the previously-booked Mauchlen, who had become visibly riled in the aftermath of a midfield stramash. Cowden were heading towards victory but needed a third to tie up the points once and for all.
Overlapping full-back Dave McInally broke down the left and looked across to see Winter steaming through the middle on his own. The ball was expertly flighted over and "Toorie" charged into the box to slot past Butter and claim victory for his side. Cowden were unlucky not to snatch a fourth when Mowat let fly from the edge of the box but he was denied by another great stop from the veteran home keeper.
It was the Blue Brazil's first win of the season and the glut of new faces are beginning to play with cohesion. Next up are perennial bottom dogs East Stirling and Cowden will be confident of making further strides up the table.
Cowdenbeath - Andy Carlin, Calvin Shand (Andy Campbell, 62), Dave McInally, Bryan Gilfillan, John McKeown, Dave Mowat, Iain Mauchlen (Kevin Gordon, 64), Craig Winter, Graeme Brown (Liam Buchanan, 88), Ian Morris, Adam Moffat.
Not Used - Ross Matheson, Allan Fleming
Booked - Gilfillan, Mauchlen, Moffat
Crowd - 338
Star Men - 1) Ian Morris, 2) Iain Mauchlen, 3) Dave Mowat
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Cowdenbeath 1 Albion Rovers 4
Saturday, August 16
Third Division
Cowdenbeath - Buchanan (86)
Albion - Yardley (31, 32), Mercer (34), McManus (53)
With half an hour gone, there was an air of optimism among the Cowden support. Although the Blue Brazil had squandered an early penalty kick, they were using the ball well and looking the more composed of the two sides. Then the roof caved in and Albion were handed the points on a silver platter during a three-minute spell of slackness.
Skipper Craig Winter returned to the side from suspension but striker Graeme Brown was sidelined with a ban following his red card at Stirling. New signing Adam Moffat made his debut start, as did forward John Fallon. Dropped from the previous side were John McKeown and Stevie Boyle.
The Blue Brazil attacked straight from the kick-off and McInally charged into the Rovers' box only to be brought tumbling to the ground. The referee pointed to the spot and Kevin Gordon elected to take the kick. Albion keeper Chris Fahey threw himself to his right to keep the ball out and also managed to block Gordon's attempts to connect with the rebound.
Both Ross Matheson and Moffat shot wide of the target as Cowden controlled the midfield but, tellingly, failed to deliver the goods up front. Nevertheless, the Blue Brazil were looking good and Rovers were forced to employ a counter-attack strategy. The visitors almost made the breakthrough when Paul McManus cut into the box and let fly, forcing a fine diving save from Andy Carlin. McManus breached the unsteady Cowden defence just minutes later but shot wildly past from an excellent position inside the box.
The Blue Brazil resumed command and a fine passing move set up Dave McInally but his fierce effort struck a defender and bounced clear. There was certainly no portent of what was about to happen next.
Former Cowden hero Mark Yardley opened the scoring when he was allowed a free header at a corner kick, from which he duly netted comfortably. One minute later, Albion delivered a dangerous low cross and Yardley stuck out a leg to knock home the second.
The Blue Brazil barely had time to draw breath before it was three. Jim Mercer eluded his marker and bundled another low cross over the line from six yards. The Blue Brazil were shellshocked and only a brave save from Carlin prevented McManus from increasing the margin.
Cowden perked up a bit after the break and Kevin Gordon found space but Fahey raced from his goal to smother. Rovers weren't finished yet and Carlin did well to gather an effort from Yardley. The big man was instrumental in creating the vistor's fourth when his downward glancing header found McManus, who prodded home from close range.
The Blue Brazil were now playing for pride but were almost granted respite, courtesy of a passback which went astray and was frantically scrambled off the line by the Albion defence. Cowden substitute Liam Buchanan made an immediate impact when his 20-yard drive crashed against the crossbar. Buchanan wasn't to be denied and eventually grabbed a consolation goal for the beleaguered Blue Brazil, heading home over the prostrate Fahey after he had dived to parry a shot from Gordon.
This match was simply a defensive disaster for Cowden and with no counterweight at the other end of the park, the men from Coatbridge ran out easy winners.
Cowdenbeath - Andy Carlin, Calvin Shand, Dave McInally, Andy Campbell, Dave Mowat, Adam Moffat (John McKeown, 45), Ross Matheson (Bryan Gilfillan, 67), Craig Winter, John Fallon (Liam Buchanan, 56), Kevin Gordon, Ian Morris.
Not Used - Brian Ford, Allan Fleming
Booked - Fallon, Winter
Crowd - 362
Star Men - 1) Liam Buchanan, 2) Ian Morris, 3) Craig Winter.
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Stirling 0 Cowdenbeath 0
Saturday, August 9
Third Division
Cowden made a decent start to the league campaign after collecting a useful point at a sweltering Forthbank Stadium. The players also turned up the heat on the pitch but neither side could produce a goal. Fans were not short changed however, as this game had everything else.
With skipper Craig Winter suspended, the Blue Brazil were led onto the field by striker Graeme Brown. Bryan Gilfillan filled the void in midfield and the other new face in the line-up was Stevie Boyle, making his first competitive Cowden appearance.
For the first half hour, the match appeared to be stifled by the baking heat and there was little goalmouth action, although Albion enjoyed the lion's share of the possession. Scott McLean was given an opportunity to blast the home side ahead but his drive hit the side netting. Stirling passed up another chance when David O'Brien found space at the edge of the box. He let himself down with a poor touch and Dave Mowat slid in to clear the danger.
The Blue Brazil were playing in fits and starts but a fine move saw early substitute Ross Matheson float over a tempting cross for Graeme Brown and Kevin Gordon. Both strikers missed the ball by inches and the Albion defence could clear only as far as Dave McInally, who lashed the ball towards goal from fully 30 yards. The effort beat the goalkeeper but whizzed fractionally wide of the target.
Cowden upped the tempo after the break and Brown had the travelling fans on their feet when he pounced on a loose ball and hooked it past the keeper. He was denied by an alert defender who raced back to scramble the ball off the line. Stirling retaliated and Barry Elliot should have hit the target when presented with a free header. Elliot's misery was compounded minutes later when he brought down Andy Campbell in full flight and was sent for an early bath.
Despite being reduced to ten men, Albion refused to sit back and Stuart Devine miskicked from close range after being teed up with a square ball. Cowden at last found their stride and began to pose a serious threat up front. John Fallon was sent clean through on the goalkeeper but instead of shooting, delivered an off-beam pass to Gordon, who had criminally strayed into an offside position.
Cowden were slowly turning the screw but a defensive blunder by Andy Campbell gave Stirling's Ryan Davidson a clear sight of goal. Fortunately, Andy Carlin diverted the shot round the post with his fingertips. Play raced to the other end and Fallon's well-placed 18-yarder was stopped by the upright. The ball landed at the feet of Gordon who tapped over the line but the linesman raised his flag for offside. The officials apparently ruled that the move constituted a direct pass, a rather technical decision.
In another pressing Blue Brazil move, McInally hared down the inside-left channel and let fly from a fairly tight angle. Once again, the home defence managed to stop the ball on the line and scramble it out of the danger zone. Cowden's attacking ambitions were punctured when Brown, who was visibly affected by the taunting of the crowd, let his frustration get the better of him and was given a second yellow card plus the obligatory red.
The home side raised their game for one last assault and it almost paid dividends when McLean headed against the bar. More drama was in store and the Blue Brazil had a lucky escape when the ball struck the post during a goalmouth melee in the final minute. Just as everyone was wiping the sweat from their brow and settling for a point, Cowden charged upfield deep into injury time and Fallon squared to Morris whose rasping 20-yard drive produced a great save from Myles Hogarth in the home goal.
It was a match which both sides will feel they should have won. But a point away from home against a side tipped to do well represents a favourable opening to the season for Keith Wright's troops.
Cowdenbeath - Andy Carlin, Calvin Shand, Dave McInally, Andy Campbell, John McKeown (Adam Moffat, 64), Dave Mowat, Bryan Gilfillan (Ross Matheson, 31), Ian Morris, Graeme Brown, Kevin Gordon, Stevie Boyle (John Fallon, 53).
Not Used - Brian Ford, Allan Fleming
Sent Off - Elliot (Stirling, 55), Brown (Cowdenbeath, 88)
Booked - Moffat
Crowd - 576
Star Men - 1) Kevin Gordon, 2) Dave McInally, 3) Andy Carlin.
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Cowdenbeath 1 Ross County 2
Saturday, August 2
Bells Challenge Cup - Round 1
Cowdenbeath - Graeme Brown (14)
Ross County - Andy Campbell og (22), John Rankin (81)
Once again Cowden found Ross County an unsurpassable hurdle in their first Cup-tie of the season and once again it was another hard-luck story from an industrious Blue Brazil squad which featured eight newcomers over the 90 minutes.
Keeper Andy Carlin, defenders Calvin Shand, Dave McInally and John McKeown and midfielders Ian Morris and John Fallon all made their Cowden debuts and were later joined by Bryan Gilfillan and Ross Matheson.
Cowden started as brightly as County but that did not say too much and the first hint of danger came when Craig Winter, making his 300th appearance, lost posession at the edge of the box but the proud skipper soon redeemed himself with a magnificent tackle.
A minute later Cowden took the lead thanks first of all to a surging run from Dave Mowat deep into the Dingwall defence. Dave was robbed at the last minute but GRAEME BROWN was first to react and swept a perfectly-placed low shot into the corner of the net.
County redoubled their efforts in search of an equaliser which came in rather bizarre fashion when Hugh Robertson hammered the ball low across a crowded goalmouth. Home defender Andy Campbell was unlucky to find himself in the way and the ball deflected off him, rebounded from the far post and then rolled over the line.
Sean Higgins then hit the post for County -although keeper Andy Carlin seemed to have the effort covered - before a John McKeown header from a Craig Winter free-kick looped just over the bar. Graeme Brown then laid a ball back for Ian Morris but his effort spun past. Morris came even closer just before the interval with a superb free kick which keeper Colin Stewart somehow diverted at the last minute. However, the teams only went in level because of a point-blank reaction save from Andy Carlin as Robertson looked sure to score.
Cowden pitched on Ross Matheson for Dave Mowat after the interval and ten minutes later Bryan Gilfillan came on for John Fallon. Gilfillan's presence soon had an impact and Cowden came close on several occasions as they forced a few corners. Then Graeme Brown broke clear from the halfway line but was forced wide by the chasing pack and the chance was lost.
Cowden had their tails up now and were enjoying their best spell of the match when the roof fell in. County's John Rankin wriggled his way past three defenders before completing a dream goal by giving Andy Carlin no chance with a well-placed shot.
It was all over bar the shouting but there was plenty of that when a deep cross was destined for Graeme Brown's head with keeper Stewart stranded. The keeper opted to flatten Brown without ever getting near the ball. Both players required extensive treatment but the Cowden fans were also in deep shock when referee Brian Cassidy ruled that the assault was legitimate.
Cowdenbeath - Andy Carlin, Calvin Shand, Dave McInally, Andy Campbell, John McKeown, Dave Mowat (Ross Matheson 45), Ian Morris (Liam Buchanan 88), Craig Winter, Graeme Brown, Kevin Gordon, John Fallon (Bryan Gilfillan 57).
Not Used - Allan Fleming, Steven Boyle.
Crowd - 325
Star Men - 1) Dave McInally, 2) Graeme Brown, 3) Bryan Gilfillan
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