Another big lead lost

Andrew Cowie • Published 28 Apr 2010 07:00 0 Comments

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A double for Gareth Wardlaw.

Cowdenbeath 3, Stirling Albion 3.

FOR the second time in a week Cowdenbeath threw away a three goal interval lead and had to settle for a point.

And it was the result which ended Cowden's hopes of the Barrs Irn Bru Second Division title.

Yet like at Brechin seven days before, the Fifers looked in complete charge at Central Park on Tuesday night against the league leaders.

They played some exciting and penetrating football which could have seen them four or five up at the interval.

Yet in the second-half it all changed as Stirling grabbed the chance to keep their own title hopes alive and end Cowden's.

There would be questions asked where referee Tom Robertson found the almost five minutes time added on he applied here as the physios were only on the pitch twice for very minor injuries but still Cowden had chances in the second-half to swamp the Albion challenge but failed to take them.

Cowdenbeath came out of the traps fast in front of their best home crowd of the season and Paul McQuade had the ball in the net in two minutes but he was clearly off-side.

However, in five minutes the Fifers were ahead. From a Mark Ramsay corner Darren McGREGOR found himself unmarked and his low shot struck Ross Forsyth on its way into the net.

The Blue Brazil piled forward looking for more and in 23 minutes the second came. Ramsay's cross was only palmed out by 'keeper Scott Christie and McQuade turned the ball across the face of the Albion goal where Gareth WARDLAW fired home from inside the six yard box.

On the half-hour McGregor's pass sent Wardlaw clear and he made ground in the Stirling box but as he was about to shoot Jon Page put in a goal saving tackle.

But Cowden scored again in 37 minutes. WARDLAW was again given too much space by the Stirling defence and his shot hit both posts before rolling back to him where he picked his spot from only six yards.

But it could have been worse for Stirling as Scott McBride raced clear and his fierce shot struck Page before going over the bar.

Cowdenbeath opened the second period well and McBride's low cross brought out a diving save from Christie with Wardlaw waiting for a slip.

But in 51 minutes Albion, who had replaced Nathan Taggart and Chris Aitken at the break, pulled one back. Derek Colquhoun's cross was met by the challenging Forsyth and Iain RUSSELL was lying handy to nod past David Hay.

This perked up the Albion challenge and they looked much more positive but with 14 minutes left McQuade should have finished the game.

He cleverly controlled a long pass, beat his marker before rounding the 'keeper but with only Andy Graham on the line he could not get in a strong enough shot and the defender cleared.

But as the match entered the last ten minutes it still looked like Cowden's game then in 86 minutes Albion got a lifeline when RUSSELL headed home from close in.

Stirling had the momentum now and got the ball into the Cowden box at every possible opportunity.

Then in the fourth minute of time added on Hay put his name on a long Forsyth free-kick but he just could not get to the ball and GRAHAM's looping header rolled into the net to give Stirling the point that leaves them needing a draw on Saturday to win the title.

Cowden boss Danny Lennon was shell-shocked at the end of the game. He said, "We were brilliant in the first-half but the three goals we lost were very bad indeed.

"I would like to know where the referee got the time added on from but all credit to Stirling to mount a comeback like that."

Cowdenbeath: Hay; Armstrong, Linton; McGregor, Baxter, Mbu; Ramsay, Robertson, Wardlaw (Stein 68), McQuade, McBride (Dempster 86). Subs not used, Fairbairn, Adamson and Bower.

Stirling Albion: Christie; Graham, Forsyth; Gibson, Page, Robertson; Taggart (Colquhoun 45), Aitken (Allison 45), Mullen (McKenna 73), Russell, O'Brien. Subs not used, Murphy and Hogarth.

Referee-Tom Robertson. Attendance-1084.

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