Cowden are going up in the world

Published 18 May 2010 15:45 0 Comments

Share this

Brechin City 0, Cowdenbeath 3

COWDENBEATH are back in the First Division after a 17 year gap following this excellent performance at Glebe Park on Sunday.

Cowden went to Angus knowing that all the hard work of the season depended on the 90 minutes of the second leg of the Barrs Irn Bru First Division play-off and they did not let down the 900 fans who followed them.

From the first whistle Cowdenbeath were the better side and bossed the game. From goalkeeper David Hay to last substitute used Jay Stein, they all played their part in a convincing win.

The defence was excellent with Joe Mbu a rock at the heart of it and full-backs Mark Baxter and Scott Linton very influential.

In midfield Craig Winter and Darren McGregor were in charge while Brian Fairbairn and Scott McBride sent over a string of crosses in the first-half which Brechin could not cope with.

In attack Gareth Wardlaw was a stand-out scoring twice and he could have had more while Paul McQuade was a livewire at the start but had to go off before the break through injury.

Brechin opened well and in four minutes as the Cowden defence hesitated Charlie King hit an angled ten yarder off the bar.

But three minutes later Linton's throw landed perfectly for Wardlaw and when his shot was blocked Paul McQuade's 18 yarder came back off the bar.

Cowden started to take charge of the midfield area and in 17 minutes took the lead. McBride's corner was met by MBU whose 12 yard header squeezed in at the far post.

The Fifers looked good now and in 19 minutes a great Winter pass sent Wardlaw down the right and with McQuade waiting in the middle his cross was too near Scott Reid.

But a second arrived in 25 minutes. McBride took Winter's pass and his left wing cross was met by McQuade whose header was brilliantly parried by Reid but WARDLAW following up nodded in from six yards out.

City responded and Vallers headed wide before on the half hour Hay dived to turn a fierce 20 yarder from Kevin Byers for a corner.

Cowden still looked dangerous and in 44 minutes Barry Smith bravely blocked Fairbairn's 10 yard drive with Reid struggling but the third arrived three minutes into time added on.

Linton produced a pin- point cross from the left and WARDLAW rose above the City defence to head home from deep inside the six yard box to complete an excellent 45 minutes for the Blue Brazil.

The second period opened with Cowden looking for number four and a McBride corner flew into the box and Armstrong's shot was blocked and then McGregor fired the rebound over.

Brechin were more aggressive now and in the 58th minute they had a great chance to get back into the game. King's header set up McAllister and he raced away from the struggling Armstrong and rounded Hay but only succeeded in hitting the side net. The defender was replaced by Jon Robertson with McGregor dropping back.

The pace of the game dropped but in 69 minutes Dempster's 16 yard volley flew over and in 73 minutes Linton's fierce 12 yard shot was brilliantly blocked by Reid.

With 15 minutes left Wardlaw had the ball in the net again but McGregor had committed a foul in the build up and it was chalked off.

In the last ten minutes Cowden were content to play a containing game and City never really threatened and when the final whistle blew the visiting fans invaded the pitch to share the moment with their heroes.

Brechin City: Scott; Walker, Docherty; Smith, McLean, Vallers (Masson 65); Byers (Archdeacon 76), Fusco, McAllister, King (Cowan 82), Canning. Sub not used Nelson.

Cowdenbeath: Hay; Armstrong (Robertson 60), Linton; McGregor, Basxter, Mbu; Fairbairn, Winter, Wardlaw, McQuade (Dempster 43), McBride (Stein 76). Subs not used Ramsay and Wilson.

Referee-Alan Muir. Attendance-1627.

Return to the main index, get more from this section or browse our Sport archives.

Central Fife Times Poll

Should Andy Gray and Richard Keys have lost their jobs in the Sky sexism row?

This Poll is now closed.

Yes (50.6%)

No (49.4%)

Follow @dunfermlinep