Cowdenbeath 0, Edinburgh City 0.

Friendly Attendance-180 THIS closing friendly on Saturday did not produce any goals as Cowden and City cancelled each other out on a very blustery afternoon.

Defences dominated throughout the game, although to be fair it was a much changed Blues outfit that took on the fixture with the Lowland League champions.

The home rearguard looked solid with Brad Donaldson again having a very sound game alongside John Armstrong.

In midfield Pat Scullion and Declan Hughes tried to move the ball about for Cowdenbeath but with Greig Spence having to play up front on his own, they were unable to create many opportunities for him.

Lewis Milne made his first appearance of the pre-season and got about the park well but Craig Johnston and Liam Callaghan were unable to get much change out of the City full-backs.

For the visitors the City defence had a powerful force in it in the shape of former Cowden captain, Joe Mbu, who was his usual reliable self.

In the third minute Spence dispossessed ‘keeper Andrew Stobie at the far edge of the City box and the visiting backline did well to force the ball out for a throw. Three minutes later Ross Guthrie broke through for City and his low shot went just wide.

Cowden threatened in 12 minutes in a strange manner. With Callaghan putting pressure on Jordan Caddow the right-back sliced the ball inches over his own bar.

Five minutes later City had an opening when former Hill of Beath Hawthorn striker Ross Allum brought out a fine save from Cowden’s trialist ‘keeper Mike Andrews.

Then at the other end Donaldson was inches away from getting on the end of the end of a Dean Brett cross but the ball ran past the post.

Eight minutes from the interval a long diagonal pass from Scullion set up Kyle Miller but Stobie made a brave diving stop. Then on the break whistle City’s Guthrie fired an angled 22 yarder which flew inches over.

City made a bright start to the second period and Mark Osborne had the ball in the net a minute into the half but he had just gone off-side before he dispatched the ball into the net.

However, in 57 minutes a slack piece of defensive work by the visitors let Brett get free in the City box and only quick work by Stobie defied the full-back then two minutes later Miller, now pushed forward into midfield, saw his low drive held by the ‘keeper.

Then in 71 minutes the visitors came close when Ian McFarland forced a good save from Andrews.

With a multitude of substitutions the game started to die on its feet but with seconds left home player/boss Colin Nish came close to a goal with a low shot from eight yards which struck a defender and stayed out.

Cowdenbeath: Trialist (7); Kyle Miller (7) (Colin Nish 63 (3)), Dean Brett (7); John Armstrong (7), Brad Donaldson (8), Lewis Milne (6) (Chris Kane 52 (4)); Craig Johnston (6), Declan Hughes (7), Greig Spence (7) (Cameron Muirhead 74 (3)), Pat Scullion (6), Liam Callaghan (5) (Jack Wright ( 45 (5)). Subs not used, Josh Thomson, Josh Wilson and Jamie Sneddon.

Edinburgh City: Stobie (7); Caddow (6) (Wishart 70 (3)), Donaldson (7); Muhsin (6) (Gair 83 (2)), Paterson (6), Mbu (7); McFarland (6), Osborne (6) (Nayaraninsamy 63 (3)), Allum (6) (Dunn 74 (3)), Guthrie (6) (Carse 63 (3)), MacDonald (6). Subs not used, McConnell, and MacNamara.

Referee-Gavin Ross (6).