Cowden end year in pole position
Published 28 Dec 2011 08:00
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Stenhousemuir 0, Cowdenbeath 2.
COWDEN produced a very solid Monday performance, on the Ochilview astroturf, to ensure that they ended the year at the top of the Barrs Irn Bru Second Division.
Stenhousemuir have been unbeaten on their own pitch this season and their list of conquests include Cowdenbeath, way back in August.
But they found the Blues a difficult proposition as the re-shuffled Fifers produced a very composed display in stormy weather conditions.
With Kenny Adamson suspended and Thomas O'Brien injured, Cowden player/boss Colin Cameron moved Scott Linton back to left-back with John Armstrong restored at the heart of the defence. Mark Ramsay came back into the side in the attacking central midfield role with Greg Stewart replacing Lewis Coult up front.
All the changes paid off handsomely with Linton and Armstrong joining David Cowan and Joe Mbu as solid workers in front of the confident Thomas Flynn.
The visiting defence seldom put a foot wrong, despite the hazardous conditions, while the midfield, even against the gale force wind throughout the second period, held the upperhand.
Stewart was an awkward opponent for the Warriors' rearguard and he could have had more than his excellent first-half strike.
Cowden made a good start to the game, with the wind behind them, and in ten minutes flying winger, Marc McKenzie, latched on to a poor clearance from Stenny 'keeper Ally Brown and whipped the ball goalwards only to see Brown somehow recover and stop on the line.
'Muir almost grabbed a leveller when Kevin McKinlay's remarkable 45 yard effort into the wind almost caught out Flynn but the Blue Brazil were in charge of possession. Stewart and Ramsay both went close before the breakthrough came seven minutes from the break.
Ramsay sent a lovely pass into the box and STEWART swept the ball past Brown with an expert piece of finishing.
Before the break Mbu threatened from a free-kick and Ramsay poked a shot wide and in the early stages of the second period Cowdenbeath still looked the more dangerous side.
McKenzie saw his good finish cleared off the line by Ross McMillan, but at the other end Stevie Murray's cross was caught by the win and Stenny players claimed that skipper Jon Robertson had used an arm to to clear things up but referee Hilland waved play on.
After his hard work Stewart was given a rest with five minutes left with COULT replacing him and the sub was soon on the scoresheet.
McKenzie's fierce shot was parried by Brown but the former Arniston Ranger was lying perfectly placed to shoot home the clinching goal.
Stenhousemuir: Brown, Lyle (Dickson 80), McKinlay; Corrigan, McMillan, Thomson; McHale (Quinn 85), Rodgers, Kean, Paton, Murray. Subs not used: Lawson, Hamilton and McCluskey.
Cowdenbeath: Flynn; Cowan, Linton; Cameron, Armstrong, Mbu; McKenzie, Robertson, Ramsay, Stewart (Coult 85), Morton. Subs not used: Brett, Naismith, Milne and Bejaoui.
Referee-Gary Hilland. Attendance-576.
This article appeared in Central Fife Times 27 Dec 11
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