Cowdenbeath 2, Stirling University 2.

Lowland League

COWDENBEATH came so close to winning this Lowland League game against their mid-table rivals from Stirling.

Cowden made a great start to the game at Central Park on Saturday, and could easily have been three up in the opening minutes, but some rash finishing saw chances missed.

The midfield work of Matty McDonald and Aiden McLaughlin, and the attacking prowess of Jamie Docherty, Daryl Healy and Zac Butterworth, was posing real issues for the University defence.

But somehow the Students stayed in the game, and then went ahead on the interval whistle, but Cowden kept working hard, and even when reduced to ten men through the dismissal of half-time substitute, Jack Denham, just after the break, the Blues kept at it and were worthy of their point.

In the third minute, Butterworth sent over a lovely cross from the right and Jamie Docherty chested the ball down, but before he could get his shot away Isa Aslanoglu managed to get a challenge in. Then two minutes later another Butterworth cross posed issues for Uni and Daryl Healy’s shot was blocked in the six yard box.

In 10 minutes, Aiden McLaughlin’s shot went inches wide, and then Docherty’s curling 20 yard free-kick hit the inside of a post, but the ball stayed out.

Uni had their first shot in 22 minutes when James Russell sent a curling free-kick in and Josh Blair made a safe save.

An injury to Butterworth nine minutes from the break took the sting out of the Cowden attack, and in 43 minutes the visitors took the lead. In a rare attack from the Students, Jack Docherty's low seven yard shot eluded Blair’s grasp.

Cowdenbeath pulled one back a minute into the second-half, when Matty McDonald fired a low eight yarder into the net, after ‘keeper Yan Gogik flapped at a cross, but Docherty restored the Students’ lead, after the home defence failed to deal with a corner.

On the hour mark Cowden came close when Greg MacPherson sent over a fine cross and with only the ‘keeper to beat Andy Rodden fired wide.

However, 60 seconds later the equaliser came, when the centre of the University defence failed to deal with a cross and Healy clipped the ball past the ‘keeper from close in.

However, within four minutes Cowden were down to ten men, when half-time substitute, Jack Denham, was sent off for a foul on Stirling’s Ben Wolosyn.

Cowden battled on well, and defended solidly. Late on Euan MacPherson was sent galloping through and on the edge of the Uni box he was hauled down, but the referee turned aside home claims for a foul 18 yards out and it ended all square.

Cowdenbeath: Blair; G MacPherson, Rodden (Tait 79), McNab, Donald, Jordan, Docherty (Chalmers 46), McDonald, Healy, McLaughlin (Denham 46), Butterworth (E MacPherson 36). Subs not used – Berry and Hepburn (gk).

Stirling University: Gromov Gogik; Jeanes, Aslanoglu, Service, Lavery, Scally, Docherty, Russell, Vonk (Manomey 75), Wolosyn (MacIvor-Redwood 89), Mirzalamov (McAninch 69). Subs not used – Grooms, Heal, Morris and Davila (gk).

Referee: Ryan Kennedy.

Attendance: 176.