Cowdenbeath 0, East Kilbride 1.

William Hill Scottish Cup 2nd round

Attendance-251

HISTORY repeated itself at Central Park on Saturday with Cowden losing to their Lowland League rivals yet again in the Scottish Cup.

And it was a total repeat with Cowdenbeath having a lot of the ball, several good chances but again failing to score.

The game saw both sides have periods of possession and there were several decent chances but the finishing was often wild.

Cowden had teenager Jordan Leslie playing alongside skipper Scott Rumsby and they defended well while both Fraser Mullen and Harvey Swann were enterprising full-backs, but too often things broke down for them on the edge of the box.

David Syme partnered Robbie Buchanan in the centre of the midfield and while they worked hard they never really took a grip of the game, while Brad Smith and Kyle Miller faded after a bright start in the wide areas.

Jordan Garden made his home debut and led the line well but he would wonder how he did not bury a close-in header in the second period.

The visitors opened well and forced two corners but the home side had a chance in 12 minutes when Smith sent over a delightful cross but with the the ‘keeper caught out Miller completely missed the ball.

In 19 minutes EK’s Ross McNeill set up Martin McBride 18 yards out but his raking drive went inches wide but soon after the Smith set up Syme only 10 yards out and his shot curled inches wide, then in 27 minutes Cammy Muirhead’s 25 yarder was held by Kean.

As Cowdenbeath continued to threaten Buchanan’s 20 yarder was just inches too high and in time added on an error by Dave McGurn saw McNeill denied by Syme’s goal-line clearance.

Two minutes into the second period McNeill got time to fire in a 20 yarder and the ball beat McGurn but cannoned off the bar and bounced to safety but within a minute Mullen’s corner was met by Garden and his header was grabbed by Kean.

In 63 minutes EK went close when Sean Winter took advantage of some poor home defending and fired over a low cross but McNeill blazed over from seven yards.

Cowden had chances and Syme twice went close then sub Josh Morris was defied by the ‘keeper before Jack Whittaker saw his effort drift over.

Cowdenbeath kept pushing forward but they got caught with just five minutes to go. Slack work by Buchanan let McNeill find space to pass across the face of the six yard box and WINTER did the needful to win the game. Another 1-0 defeat.

Cowdenbeath: Dave McGurn (6); Fraser Mullen (6), Harvey Swann (7); David Syme (6), Scott Rumsby (7), Jordan Leslie (6); Kyle Miller (6) (Jack Whittaker 75 (3)), Robbie Buchanan (6), Jordan Garden (6 ), Brad Smith (6) (Josh Morris 75 (3)), Cammy Muirhead (6) (Ryan Connelly 65 (3)). Subs not used, Ali Smith, Matt McInally, Charlie Denton and Blair Penman.

East Kilbride: Kean (8); Stevenson (7), Coll (6); Russell (7), Howie (7), Gibbons (7); Winter (7), McBride (6) (Hughes 88 (22)), McNeill (7) (Anderson 75 (3)), Millar (6)) (Coogans (88)), Strachan (6). Subs not used, Beattie, Zata, Campbell and McGinlay.

Referee-Mat Norcroft (7).