Cowdenbeath 2, Queen of the South 1.

SPFL Championship Attendance-674.

THE Blues’ first win in the league this season and it was tense in the closing stages, but over the piece they were well worth the three points.

Without skipper John Armstrong and Nat Wedderburn the central defence had a youthful look about, it at Central Park on Saturday, as Thomas O’Brien joined Darren Brownlie and Marcus Fraser in a three man unit but they had old heads on young shoulders.

They provided the rock which kept Queen’s at bay in the closing stages when the visitors started to pile on the pressure.

The midfield, which fell out of the Hearts game last week, had Chris Kane, Jon Robertson and Callum Gallagher probing well and in the first period they had long spells of being in control.

Gallagher, with his blistering pace making him a real worry for the Dumfries men, ghosted into dangerous positions and it brought his goal.

Kyle Miller deputised at right wing back and was a success there, defending well and breaking forward quickly, while Iain Campbell was a steady figure on the left hand side.

Using his speed intelligently, Kudus Oyenuga was a constant threat while Sean Higgins used his experience well to create some dangerous moments for the visiting rearguard.

A slip by Miller, however, in the third minute gave Queen's Iain Russell a chance but the striker sliced his angled eight yarder well over.

Three minutes later Cowden replied when Iain Campbell’s corner was headed just over by Oyenuga from 10 yards range.

Some indecision in the home defence gave Queens an opportunity with 15 on the clock, the ball bouncing about the edge of the home six yard box, and Gavin Reilly fired wide from the good position, then Kevin Holt had a great run through the middle of the Cowden defence, but dragged his 18 yarder well wide.

In 22 minutes Gallagher made a fine run to the edge of the Queens box and only a brave Andy Dowie blocked denied the youngster.

In 27 minutes Cowdenbeath went ahead. A good move down the right featuring Miller, saw Robertson’s shot blocked but the loose ball went to OYENUGA and he made no mistake from ten yards out. The second Cowden goal came 12 minutes later when GALLAGHER made a fine run, and held off Chris Higggins’ challenge before firing a low shot past Clark from 16 yards.

The Dumfries side started the second period in lively fashion with Lewis Kidd posing problems wide on the right and Ian McShane took one of his passes and saw a left foot shot got inches wide.

In the Cowden reply Gallagher made a nice run down the right, then cut inside but his shot went high and wide, then another Campbell corner was met by O’Brien and his header was blocked on the edge of the Queens six yard box by Mark Durnan.

But in 61 minutes the visitors pulled one back. A vicious in-swinging Holt free-kick was met by former Blue Brazilian Derek LYLE and his head flick gave Thomson no chance. Cowden threatened when Miller fired a free kick close from 22 yards, but now only a goal adrift the visitors started to look more dangerous.

Queens put on all their subs in a bid to turn the game in their favour but the home side pulled players back and conceded ground to the visitors.

Queen’s efforts became more desperate but the nearest they came to an equaliser was when sub John Baird sent a header inches wide from only six yards out with four minutes to go.

Cowdenbeath: Robbie Thomson (7); Kyle Miller (7), Iain Campbell (7); Thomas O’Brien (7), Darren Brownlie (7), Marcus Fraser (7); Chris Kane (7), Jon Robertson (6), Kudus Oyenuga (7), Sean Higgins (6) (Craig Johnston 84 (2)), Callum Gallagher (8). Subs not used, Craig Sutherland, Dani Jurisic, Craig Liam Callaghan, Aaron Lynas, and Thomas Flynn.

Queen of the South: Clark (7); McShane (7) (Dwierzawaski 86 (2)), Holt (6); Dowie (7), Durnan (7),Higgins (6); Kidd (6), Reilly (7), Fowler (6) (Kerr 79 2), Russell (7), Lyle (6) (Baird 71 (3)). Subs not used, Slattery, D Smith, A Smith, Atkinson.

Referee-Euan Anderson (7).