Montrose 2, Cowdenbeath 1.

Ladbrokes League 2

Attendance-432

ANOTHER sad end for Cowdenbeath in a match they should have won.

The Blue Brazil hit back after going a goal down, at Links Park on Saturday, to square things going into the closing seconds but a penalty handed Montrose full points.

Again Cowden had the bulk of possession and twice as many shots at goals as their opponents, but they left with nothing.

The game turned out to be a bit of a downer for centre-half Gerry McLauchlan who put through his own goal for the Gable Endies’ opener and then it was his tackle that was adjudged a penalty after the Blues squared things.

Other than that big Gerry had a pretty good game, as did newcomer Scott Rumsby and Shaun Rutherford, but all their impressive work went for nothing.

The midfield had Liam Henderson in it instead of Brian Ross and he did well as Cowdenbeath had the balance of possession and both front men, Craig Johnston and Kris Renton, should have hit the target.

Fraser Mullen shot over from a decent position in 22 minutes but six minutes from the break Cowdenbeath went behind.

The ball was swept across the face of the Cowden goal from a free-kick and McLAUCHLAN, in trying to clear, only succeeded in heading the ball into his own net.

That was how it stood at the break but three minutes into the second period Rumsby’s close-in header slipped just wide then Johnston hit the post and three minutes later Dean Brett was hauled down in the box but Renton’s spot-kick was saved.

Cowden kept working hard and Rutherford and Lewis Moore saw shots saved, then the hosts’ Matt Smith was sent off for a second yellow, but in 85 minutes Cowden at last got level when BRETT’s shot from the middle of the box flew high over the ‘keeper.

But three minutes later McLauchlan caught Gary FRASER as he went into the box and he converted the penalty only to get his marching orders for a second yellow card for over celebrating.

The nine men clung on to collect the three points although Moore was only denied by a fine Millar save.

Montrose: Millar (8); Ballantyne (6), Steeves (6); Anderson (3) (MacDonald 14 (6)), Pascazio (6), Thomas (6) (Callaghan 50 (3)); Webster (6), McWalter (6), Smith (5), Templeman (6) (Fraser 75 (2)), Ferguson (6). Subs not used, Gammie, Thomson, Campbell and Fleming.

Cowdenbeath: Dave McGurn (7); Dean Brett (7), Lewis Moore (6); Gerry McLauchlan (6), Scott Rumsby (7), Shaun Rutherford (6); Fraser Mullen (7), Kyle Miller (6), Craig Johnston (7) (Cammy Muirhead (74) (3)), Kris Renton (6), Liam Henderson (7). Subs not used, Burton O’Brien, Brian Ross, Jamie Pyper, Harvey Swann and Jamie Sneddon.

Referee-Gavin Ross (6).