Cowdenbeath 1, Elgin City 1.

Ladbrokes League 2

Attendance-278

THE teams had to wait for this Ladbrokes League 2 game at Central Park to start but when they got going the teams produced some tremendous action, and like in so many matches this season Cowdenbeath missed a host of chances.

Midfielder Brian Ross was absentee due to the roads situation so David Syme, on loan from Raith Rovers, made his debut and had a sound game in midfield.

He was joined by Fraser Mullen, Liam Henderson and Robbie Buchanan and they swarmed all over City at times but again the goals their play deserved escaped them.

Up front Kris Renton and Dale Carrick were a real handful for Elgin and the latter scored a cracking strike.

The only down points were the way City got their goal and the misses.

Cowden boss Gary Locke was pleased with his team taking a point off one of the sides who are at top end of the table: “We created a number of chances and it was good point after losing the first goal against a good side.

"The lads have shown in their past two games that they have the ability to pick up results and we have to keep that going."

The game kicked off 35 minutes late due to traffic problems cause by the Forth Road Bridge closure earlier in the day and City attacked from the start and Chris Dodd fired over from only 12 yards out in two minutes.

Cowden came back into the picture and Buchanan’s low shot was blocked on the edge of the Elgin six yard box before Renton fired wide.

As Cowden went through a good spell Renton and Carrick had 18 yards shot blocked within the space of 60 seconds.

But it was the visitors who took the lead in 20 minutes when Thomas Reilly sent Brian Cameron clean through with the home rearguard missing and he cleverly clipped the ball wide of Jamie Sneddon.

Cowden came back and in 26 minutes Renton took a long throw from Jamie Pyper and turned and fired in a fierce 10 yard shot which ‘keeper Cammy McKay held.

Then 11 minutes from the break a fine move involving Renton saw him feed Buchanan only 10 yards out and with McKay stranded somehow Daryl McHardy spread himself on the line to keep the ball out.

City made a change at the break and brought on Shane Sutherland for namesake Ally at but it was Cowden who scored when Liam Henderson’s long pass sent CARRICK clear and his angled eight yarder gave McKay no chance.

Carrick threatened again four minutes later when he burst clear and only a crude foul by sub Mark Nicolson stopped his progress, and then the striker cut inside Archie McPhee but a brilliant diving save by McKay kept City level.

In 67 minutes Renton fed Buchanan and this time McKay saved the midfielder’s 12 yarder with his legs.

City came back into it and with nine minutes left Chris McLeish fired in a 20 yarder which Scott Rumsby bravely blocked but in the closing minutes Mullen twice fired over 25 yard free-kicks.

Cowdenbeath: Jamie Sneddon (6); Jamie Pyper (7), Shaun Rutherford (7); Gerry McLauchlan (6), Scott Rumsby (6), Fraser Mullen (7); Robbie Buchanan (6) (Lewis Moore 87 (2)), Liam Henderson (6), Dale Carrick (8), Kris Renton (7), David Syme (6). Subs not used Glen, Johnston, Miller, Muirhead and McGurn.

Elgin City: McKay (7); Cooper (5) (Nicolson 39 (6), McPhee (6); McHardy (7), Brownlie (6),Reilly (7); Stewart (6), Cameron (7), McLeish (7), A Sutherland (5) (S Sutherland 46 (2) Gunn 52 (4)), Dodd (6). Subs not used, Reid, Moore, Smith and Waters.

Referee-David Munro (7).

Attendance-278.