Cowden hold on to top spot with two-nil win

Andrew Cowie • Published 14 Dec 2009 11:45 0 Comments

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Peterhead 0-2 Cowdenbeath

Cowdenbeath kept their place at the top of the Barrs Irn Bru Second Division with this excellent performance at Balmoor on Saturday.

The Blue Brazil expected a tough examination in Aberdeenshire but in reality it turned out to be a comfortable win.

The visitors gave a controlled showing with the midfield in control for long spells and they scored two well taken goals.

The defence, which lost John Armstrong early in the second period, coped admirably with everything that the hosts could throw at them.

Dene Droudge, who had been having a sound game at right back moved into the middle and joined Joe Mbu in ensuring that David Hay had a pretty quiet afternoon.

With Gareth Wardlaw failing a late fitness test the striking task fell mostly on the shoulders of Scott McBride and the on loan youngster responded by holding the ball up well and bringing his team mates into the game.

Mark Ramsay was given a more attacking role and linked up play well while Scott Linton patrolled the left hand side with authority.

Craig Winter had another stalwart show in the centre of midfield and his work allied to that of Jon|Robertson and Kenny Adamson kept the Fifers right in the picture.

Cowden opened the game positively and they made tracks towards the Peterhead goal but in real terms the first opportunity fell to the hosts when Ryan Strachan got in a shot which clipped the bar with Hay struggling.

Strachan tried his luck again but was off target and at the other end Peterhead 'keeper Paul Jarvie had to rush from his line to save at Ramsay's feet after a nice Brian Fairbarn pass.

Cowden got their noses in front after 22 minutes. McBride did the spadework with a nice run and cross and ROBERTSON showed a good finishing touch by turrnied the ball wide of Jarvie.

Peterhead were still capable of posing a few problems for Cowden and Strachan hit another shot and Hay dived to push the ball past.

And before the interval whistle the dangerous Martin Bavidge headed wide from a good position.

Then seconds into the second period Bavidge showed good control and his shot on the turn was blocked and then seconds later Armstring had to go off to be replaced by club captain Mark Baxter.

The change did not upset the Fifers anf they grabbed number two in 55 minutes. Fairbairn whipped the ball from a free-kick and MBU ghosted in at the far post and was able to control the ball before firing past Jarvie.

Cowden went in search of a third and McBride's shot was held by Jarvie before Peterhead bounced back and a Nicky Clark's drive was plamed over by the alert Hay. Clark then had another chance after Bavidge had done the lead up work but shot wide from close in.

Bavidge then set up Graeme Sharp whose fierce effort was tipped over by Hay but this was the Blue Toon's last real opening.

Cowden carved out a couple of decent openings in the closing minutes but to be honest the game was over.

Peterhead: Jarvie; Donald, Cameron; Mann, S Smith, Strachan; Sharp, Clark, Bavidge, Stewart (J Smith 59), Ross (Bruce 74). Subs not used, Wilson, McVitie and Young.

Cowdenbeath: Hay; Armstrong (Baxter 53), Adamson; Winter, Droudge (Stein 84), Mbu; Fairbairn (Ferguson 78), McBride, Ramsay, Robertson, Linton. Subs not used, McQuade and Bower.

Referee-Martin Northcroft. Attendance 494.

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