Cowdenbeath 2, Montrose 0.

Ladbrokes League 2

Attendance-270

A MUCH needed three point haul for the Blue Brazil and much better home performance.

Montrose came to Central Park on Saturday full of confidence after beating Annan but they found Cowdenbeath in determined mood.

The Blues scored first for a change and built on it well with some good attacks and it took some brilliant goalkeeping by former Cowden ‘keeper Allan Fleming to keep the score down.

Cowden went into this one with the 3-5-2 formation used at Berwick with Nikolay Todorov joining Gerry McLauchlan and Jamie Pyper in the back line and they worked really hard to try and keep things tight.

The width was provided by Dean Brett and Lewis Moore and both of them got up and down the pitch to support both their defence and front two.

In attack was Kris Renton and Craig Johnston and their pace was a real problem for the visitors.

Cowden had the first shot in 90 seconds when Brian Ross beat two defenders and his low 20 yarder was saved by Allan Fleming, then three minutes later Todorov started a good move and he took Renton’s assist and his shot was blocked for a corner.

In another good Cowdenbeath move Renton created a good chance for Kyle Miller but before he could get to it Iain Campbell slipped the ball past his own post for a corner.

As the flow continued towards the Montrose goal McLauchlan’s flick was held by Fleming.

Then in 19 minutes the Blues deservedly took the lead. Renton was pulled down by Michael Bolochowackj and TODOROV made an expert job of the resultant penalty kick.

Then nine minutes later Montrose were down to ten when Cammy Ballantyne put in a two footed tackle on Johnston.

Moore got into good positions twice and from the second situation in 30 minutes his low drive was held by Fleming.

But with four minutes to go to the break Graham Webster’s 25 yard volley was held by Dave McGurn.

Then two minutes after the re-start a Terry Masson free-kick was headed against McGurn’s left hand post by Chris Templeman then the tall striker had another good effort blocked by Todorov.

But in 56 minutes it was 2-0. Miller’s cross was headed across the face of the Montrose six yard box and RENTON dived to head low into the net.

Then in 71 minutes Brett’s raking 25 yarder was brilliantly parried by Fleming and within seconds Ross’s piledriver was superbly saved by the ‘keeper then Miller’s 25 yard free-kick hit the bar.

The ten man visitors struggled to hold the Blues but good defending kept the winning margin down.

Cowdenbeath: Dave McGurn (7); Dean Brett (7),Lewis Moore (7) (James Creaney 89 (2)); Gerry McLauchlan (7), Jamie Pyper (7), Brian Ross (7); Craig Johnston (8) (Cammy Muirhead 70 (3)), Burton O’Brien (7) (Fraser Mullen 82 (2)), Nikolay Todorov (7), Kris Renton (9) Kyle Miller (7). Subs not used, Chris Turner, Aaron Murrell, Craig Sives and Jamie Sneddon.

Montrose: Fleming (7); Ballantyne (4), I Campbell (6); Masson (7), Bolochowackj (6), Steeves (6); Watson (6) (Fraser 65 (3)), McWalter (6), R Campbell (6) (Lennie 65 (6), Templeman (6) (Court 60 (3)), Webster (6). Subs not used, Fraser, Anderson, Ferguson, Pascazio and Millar.

Referee-Steven Kirkland (6).