Points dropped in six goal thriller

Andrew Cowie • Published 21 Apr 2010 07:00 0 Comments

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Gareth Wardlaw hit a double at Glebe Park.

Brechin City 3, Cowdenbeath 3.

AT half-time on Tuesday night Cowdenbeath looked to be well on their way to a crucial victory in their bid to win the Barrs Irn Bru Second Division title.

But in an amazing Glebe Park turn-around Brechin pulled back a three goal deficit and left Cowden wondering what could have been.

With challengers Stirling Albion winning at Clyde the result meant that things are no longer in Cowden's hands.

The Blue Brazil went to Glebe Park realising that they needed to win to be in charge of their own destiny and in a minor re-shuffle Brian Fairbairn and Jon Robertson were recalled with Mark Ramsay and Craig Winter omitted.

And for the first 45 minutes everything was going to plan with the Fifers dominating proceeedings and leading by three well taken goals.

After the break it was a different story with the home team scoring early and taking a grip of things but still the Blue Brazil could have held on for a much needed win. A late goal changed all that to leave Cowden a disappointed lot.

Cowden opened the game in sparkling form. In two minutes Paul McQuade supplied the pass and Gareth WARDLAW slid the ball home from close in.

A great start and the Blues flooded forward posing City many problems and in six minutes the second goal came.

A poor clearance from City was met by Darren McGREGOR and his 25 yard volley could not be stopped by a despairing Brechin last line Craig Nelson.

Cowden had other chances as City struggled defensively and the third came in the 29th minute when Robertson and McQuade worked a neat one-two and the striker sent WARDLAW racing towards goal and he finished with a well placed shot.

Brechin needed an early goal when the second period started if they were to stage a recovery and it came in 52 minutes when Charlie King found Rory McALLISTER and Brechin's top scorer shot past David Hay.

The visitors were stunned and two minutes later were only a goal ahead when King again supplied the pass which allowed McALLISTER the opportunity to fire home his 27th goal of the season.

Brechin were on top now but McQuade was unlucky to see a fierce shot came back off the bar.

City's momentum started to disappear and things got a little easier for the Cowdenbeath defence but with four minutes left Kris VALLERS managed to hold off two defenders before cracking an angled drive past Hay to make it 3-3.

Cowden manager Danny Lennon was disappointed at losing a three goal lead. He said, "The team completely lost their way after half-time and we only started playing again at 3-3.

"It seemed more like a defeat than a draw after the way things went in the first-half."

Brechin City: Nelson; Walker Docherty; Smith (Sealey 75), McLean, Vallers; Byers, Fusco, McAllister, King, Archedeaon. Subs not used, Canning, Cowan, Masson and Scott.

Cowdenbeath: Hay; Armstrong, Adamson (Stein 28); McGregor, Baxter, Mbu; Fairbairn, Robertson, Wardlaw, McQuade, McBride (Winter 72). Subs not used, Dempster, Ramsay and Bower.

Referee-Scott MacDonald. Attendance-304.

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