First leg stalemate

Andrew Cowie • Published 6 May 2010 07:00 0 Comments

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Cowden scorer John Dempster.

Cowdenbeath 1, Alloa Athletic 1.

AN injury time goal for the Blue Brazil saw the first leg of the Barrs Irn Bru Second Division promotion play-off semi-final at Central Park on Wednesday night finish level.

In a very scrappy match neither side really deserved to win it and the late equaliser was a just return for Cowdenbeath.

Perhaps it was the fact that this was the seventh time the sides had met this season and they knew each other inside out but all the respective sides' good football of the league campaign was consigned to history.

Misplaced pass followed misplaced pass and consequently chances were at a premium for both sides.

Considering Cowden were without suspended John Armstrong and Craig Winter it was not too bad a result but the Fifers will need to up their game on Saturday to make the final.

Cowden moved Darren McGregor to centre-back to replace Armstrong and had Kenny Adamson at centre midfield in a re-shaped line-up and in the early stages it was the Fifers who had the better of things.

Paul McQuade tested Alloa defender Chris Townsley in seven minutes but the centre-back won the joust and then Mark Baxter's 12 yard drive was well held by Dave Crawford in the Alloa goal.

Mark McCafferty went close for Wasps before the visitors took the lead in 16 minutes. A neat back-healed pass from Bryan Prunty gave Dave GORMLEY space and the midfielder cleverly shot wide of David Hay from about ten yards out.

This gave Alloa confidence and in 20 minutes Hay did well to save from Andy Scott and then five minutes later the 'keeper held a Prunty 20 yarder.

Cowden's nearest thing came in 36 minutes when from a Mark Ramsay corner McGregor powered in a header which Crawford held.

But on the interval Alloa had another opening and Jamie Hay's 25 yarder hit McGregor and bounced just over the bar.

A poor 45 minutes from Cowden and the second period did not start well for them as they failed to create decent openings but Alloa were no better and the game degenerated with good passing very limited.

It took the Blues until the 72nd minute to carve out a decent chance when Baxter's cross was gathered by Gareth Wardlaw and his shot on the turn was saved by Crawford.

As Cowden came alight at last Wardlaw then layed the ball back to McQuade and his angled drive went inches wide before a McBride shot went past.

Alloa were unable to bring Hay into action and eight minutes from time Baxter's right wing cross was missed by the Wasps' defence and Scott Linton blasted wide from inside the six yard box.

John DEMPSTER was Cowden's last throw of the dice in time added on and with seconds remaining he and Alloa defender David McClune tussled for the ball almost on the line and to the delight of the home fans the ball rolled into the net.

Manager Danny Lennon was happy to get the equaliser, he said, "I thought we were very poor in the first-half and asked the players for a response in the second period and I got it. We deserved our equaliser and could have scored more late on."

Cowdenbeath: Hay; Baxter, Linton; McGregor, Adamson, Mbu; Ramsay (Fairbairn 55), Robertson, Wardlaw, McQuade (Dempster 90+2), McBride (Stein 83). Subs not used, Brett and Wilson.

Alloa Athletic: Crawford; McClune, McAvoy; Townsley, Walker, Grant; Gormley, McCafferty, Prunty (Carroll 63), Hay, Scott (Thompson 88). Subs not use, Craig, Philp and Flynn.

Referee-George Salmond. Attendance-578.

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