Gareth's double makes it eleven

Andrew Cowie • Published 22 Jan 2010 12:59 0 Comments

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East Fife's Paul McManus fires his penalty kick wide.

East Fife 2, Cowdenbeath 2.

IN a dramatic Fife derby at New Bayview on Saturday Cowdenbeath hit a late equaliser to keep their good run going in the Barrs Irn Bru Second Division.

The game had about everything and was a New Year treat for the fans as the teams produced some good football, a missed penalty, late goals and Cowden boss Danny Lennon being sent to the stand.

The Blue Brazil certainly found the Methilmen up for the game, the first either side had played for about a month due to the big freeze.

Cowdenbeath had to show the resilience that has got them on an unbeaten 11 game run to come away with a result.

With a number of players fit again Cowden had Craig Winter back in midfield and centre-back John Armstrong partnering Joe Mbu with Dene Droudge missing out for the first time since the start of the season.

But the youngster was called into action in only 24 minutes when Mbu had to go off after picking up a knock and he put on a good display against a lively home attack along with Mark Baxter, Scott Linton and Armstrong.

The midfield was a chaotic area at times with the Cowden passing showing a bit of rust after the lay-off but Winter and Jon Robertson were willing workers while wide players Brian Fairbairn and Scott McBride frequently gave their markers the slip.

In attack Paul McQuade and Gareth Wardlaw posed a real threat to East Fife and the latter was worthy of his point saving double.

East Fife opened the game well and in the opening seconds a Bobby Linn cross was headed over by Lloyd Young.

At the other end the home defence got in a fankle and McQuade was presented with an opening but he delayed his finish and East Fife managed to crowd him out.

However, in 15 minutes the hosts took the lead. Young's cross eluded the visiting rearguard and LINN was lying handy to shoot past David Hay after Jon Smart's header had been parried by the 'keeper.

Cowden wasted no time in hitting back and McBride caused trouble before unleasing a fierce shot which Michael Brown dived to push wide.

Then Cowdenbeath had to make a change when Mbu limped off to be replaced by Droudge.

But the equaliser was only delayed. In 31 minutes, as Cowden swarmed around the home goal, the ball broke to WARDLAW who fired clinically past Brown from 12 yards out.

Then Winter had the big visiting support on their feet with a 25 yard drive which Brown somehow clawed out of the top corner.

However, East Fife were still dangerous and two minutes from the break Linton put in a challenge on Jamie McCunnie which saw the Methil midfielder tumble in the box.

A penalty was the referee's verdict but Paul McManus fired wide from the spot.

Cowdenbeath opened the second-half impressively and Wardlaw drove wide from close in before then firing just past from a good position.

However, the home team replied with a Keith Watson run and shot which came back off a post but then in 64 minutes Baxter's deflected shot saw another spectacular save from Brown.

As time ticked on there was no let-up as both sides went for the win and with ten minutes to go it was advantage East Fife. McManus worked the move with a neat cross to the back post and YOUNG appeared to head past Hay, but Cowden were not for giving up and with three minutes left WARDLAW found space around 20 yards out and his curling shot roared into the bottom corner to tie things up.

But the action was not finished and with virtually the last kick the Cowden defence made a hash of things and McManus somehow failed to hit the target with Hay dragged out of the picture.

By this time Cowden boss Lennon had been asked to go to the stand after a row over a decision.

East Fife: Brown; Watson, Fagan; Smart, Ovenstone, Muir; Young, McCunnie, McManus, Crawford, Linn (Conway 85). Subs not used, Stobie, Sludden, Cargill and Kerr.

Cowdenbeath: Hay; Armstrong, Linton; Winter, Baxter, Mbu (Droudge 24); Fairbarn, McQuade (Ferguson 77), Wardlaw, Robertson, McBride (Ramday 63). Subs not used, Stein and Bower.

Referee-John McKendrick. Attendance 864.

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