Single goal handicaps Cowden challenge

Andrew Cowie • Published 31 Mar 2010 16:00 0 Comments

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Jon Robertson missed a great chance for Cowden.

Cowdenbeath 1, Stirling Albion 0.

A SINGLE goal decided this important Barrs Irn Bru Second Division clash at Forthbank on Saturday but Cowden should have taken something from the match.

For spells in the game Cowdenbeath dominated but their finishing on the day was very ordinary and Stirling Albion were rewarded for patience when the winner came 12 minutes from time.

The Fifers carved out several good openings as the afternoon went on but the normally reliable Gareth Wardlaw and Paul McQuade could not hit the target.

With Dene Drougde missing due to a knee injury sustained against Clyde club captain Mark Baxter resumed in the right back role and did well defensively and in supporting his attack.

On the other side Scott Linton was equally as active and in the middle of the defence Joe Mbu and John Armstrong were solid.

Craig Winter was recalled to partner Darren McGregor and John Robertson in the central midfield and they had Albion pretty well in check although sometimes their final pass could have been better.

The width was provided mostly by Mark Ramsay who supplied some nice crosses but the Fifers did not have anyone who could take the openings on the day.

A strong wind had a major effect on the game making periods very scrappy and the first-half especially did not see a lot of good football.

Cowden made a solid start to the game and probed Albion with some good passes and in 15 minutes one of these passes created a moment of controversy.

Baxter supplied the pass and Wardlaw set off chasing the ball only to find Stirling 'keeper Scott Christie advancing from his box and tangling with the frontman on the edge of the Stirling box.

A free-kick and a yellow card for the last line was the referee's decision, although other whistlers might have produced red.

The free-kick came to nothing but Cowden looked the likelier lot at this stage and McQuade fired over.

Stirling were unable to put much pressure on David Hay and in the 35th minute Winter's long range drive went just past.

Then shortly before the break McGregor's cross reached McQuade and the striker's shot went only inches wide.

Cowden were equally as dominant in the second period and in 49 minutes Wardlaw's flick sent Robertson on a run clean through but his finish was off target.

Albion at last started to pose Cowden a few more problems and in the 77th minute they had the ball in the net but it was ruled out when the linesman felt that marksman Chris Aitken was just off-side before his finish.

However, a minute later and the home side were ahead. An Aitken corner was caught by the wind and Hay was weak with his punch. The ball was turned back into the danger area by Andy Graham and Michael MULLEN fired the ball home from close in after his first attempt was blocked.

Cowdenbeath immediately retaliated and Wardlaw had the ball in the net following Christie failing to properly deal with a shot from substitute Brian Fairbairn but an off-side flag ended the celebrations.

Cowdenbeath continued to press and substitute John Dempster went down heavily in the Albion box but there was no penalty and the superbly organised Albion defence managed to keep the Blue Brazil out.

Stirling held on for a win which perhaps their play did not merit but at the end of the day its goals that count.

Stirling Albion: Christie; Graham, Forsyth; Alison, Page, Murphy (McKenna 90); Gibson, Aitken, Trialist (Mullen 64), Russell, O'Brien ((Taggart 68). Subs not used, Roycroft and Hogarth.

Cowdenbeath: Hay; Armstrong, Linton; McGregor, Baxter, Mbu; Ramsay (Fairbairn 67), McQuade (McBride 60), Wardlaw, Robertson, Winter (Dempster 81).

Referee-Neil Watters. Attendance-575.

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