Cowdenbeath 3, Queen of the South 2.

Friendly

Attendance-246

IN an entertaining match Cowdenbeath came from behind to beat the Championship side at Central Park on Saturday.

The Blues had a number of young players in their squad and they meet the challenge fully in the face.

Defensively Cowden played reasonably well, although twice they were caught out by the visitors’ sharpness, but throughout the game the Blue Brazil created chances.

And in strikers Cammy Muirhead and Josh Morris they had players who gave the opposition defence plenty of problems and they combined superbly for the opener.

In midfield Fraser Mullen and Robbie Buchanan, playing as a trialist, created plenty of good possession and goals came from their work.

Cowden attacked from the kick-off and Shaun Rutherford’s 20 yarder just crept wide but in their first attack Queen’s took the lead in three minutes when a pass from John Rankin set up Andy STIRLING and he cleverly clipped the ball over Dave McGurn from 16 yards.

Cowden retaliated and a long ball was latched on to by Muirhead and his fierce shot was blocked by Queen’s ‘keeper Alan Martin.

Muirhead and Trialist both went close for Cowdenbeath but on the interval whistle Stephen DOBBIE turned in a Connor Murray cross for number two, so after looking like being capable of scoring at any time, the home side turned around two down.

The second period opened with Queen’s Scott Mercer sending over a fine cross from the right which cannoned off Jamie Pyper and went just over.

But Cowdenbeath got back into the game in 58 minutes when Morris raced down the right and his cross was cleverly steered home by MUIRHEAD from around 12 yards range.

Then 11 minutes later it was 2-2 when MUIRHEAD showed great coolness to hold off Fordyce’s challenge and fire a low 12 yarder wide of sub ‘keeper Leichfield.

Cowdenbeath were now firing on all cylinders and went close a couple of more times before the winner came.

Cowden went 3-2 up five minutes from time when David SYME powered a header from Mullen’s corner beyond Leichfield.

Cowdenbeath: Dave McGurn (7) (Trialist 60 (6)); Jamie Pyper (7), Shaun Rutherford (7); David Syme (7), Scott Rumsby (7), Fraser Mullen (7); Trialist (6) (Trialist 71 (3)), Trialist (7), Josh Morris (7) (Dino Leddie 89 (2)), Cammy Muirhead (8) (Trialist 70 (3)), Harvey Swann (7) (Trialist 66 (3)).

Queen of the South: Martin (6) (Leichfield 60)); Mercer (7), Marshall (7); Fordyce (7), Trialist (6) (Rooney 69 (3)), Murray (7) (Bell 60); Stirling (7) (Akabuine (60 (6)), Tapping (6) (Carmichael 60 (5)), Dobbie (7) (Lyle 46 (5), Rankin (7), Dykes (6) (Trialist 46 (5)).

Referee-Craig Charleston (6).