Another bad away day for Blues

Ladbrokes SPFL League One Attendance-509 ANOTHER bad away day for Cowdenbeath with four goals for Stenny adding to the seven at Dunfermline.

Like at East End Park, Cowden conceded goals far too early in the game and it gave them a mountain to climb from as early as the third minute.

The team which beat Albion Rovers showed a change with Sam Orritt making way for newly acquired central defender Ali El-Zubaidi with Pat Scullion moving forward, but such was the chaotic start to the game for the Fifer,s it was difficult to make a judgement on the newcomer’s performance.

The Blues just seemed to give Stenny too much space at key times, at Ochilview on Saturday, and they lost goals at the beginning of both halves which was the root cause of the result.

Cowdenbeath saw plenty of the ball, on the astroturf pitch, and and scored a couple of good goals themselves but the damage had been done earlier on.

Defensively things were not good for Cowden, although like at Dunfermline, they looked capable of scoring every time they went forward.

Indeed, the start to the game was horrendous for the visitors because on top of conceding twice they lost player/boss Colin Nish after only 17 minutes which meant a reshuffle.

All in all a really bad day at the office which was compounded near the end when skipper John Armstrong was red carded . Former Cowden player Jon Robertson had a useful game for Stenhousemuir and brought out a save from Mike Andrews in the second minute, but the other end Greig Spence brought out a good save from Jamie Barclay.

Then in eight minutes Cowdenbeath went behind. Robertson created the chance but Colin McMENAMIN was given too much space and he dispatched the ball past Andrews from the middle of the box.

Stenny were on the up now and Alan Cook’s speculative 35 yarder had Andrews at full stetch.

But in 13 minutes there was nothing the ‘keeper could do to stop the second Stenny goal. Cook’s pass was perfect for Liam HENDERSON and his shot flew into the corner of the net with the visiting defence again found wanting.

Nish had to go off four minutes later with another new acquisition, Gordon Smith, joining the fray and in a good Cowden raid Dean Brett fired inches wide.

In 28 minutes Stenny threatened again when Jon McShane’s header went close and seconds later the Blues had to make another substitution when Kenny Adamson limped off and Mo Yaqub replaced him.

Stenny continued on the front foot and McMenamin’s shot from the edge of the box flew just wide.

Cowden needed to start the second-half well but with two minutes gone it was 3-0. Cook provided the ammunition for Allan SMITH, whose fierce shot from six yards gave the ‘keeper no chance.

Cowden were looking down the barrel of another hammering, but they fought back and in 53 minutes Brett’s cross was met by EL-ZUBAIDI and his header flew high into the net.

The Blues seemed back in it but within six minutes the game was all but over. Again the visiting defence was posted missing as COOK struck from the centre of the penalty area to make it 4-1.

Cowden had the returning Declan Hughes on by now and he went close before Cowdenbeath pulled one back with 28 minutes left. SPENCE was not picked up by the home defence and his finish was clinical.

Could Cowdenbeath mount a come-back? It was Stenny who went close through Cook and then Armstrong was red carded for a foul on McMenamin.

The last ten minutes saw Cowdenbeath give as good as they got but the game was lost long before the dismissal of the skipper.

Stenhousemuir: Barclay (6); Meechan (6), Henderson (7); Murray (6), Malcom (7), Robertson (7); Stirling (6) (McCroary 65 (3)), Smith (7) (Eddington 90 (2)), McMenamin (9), McShane (6) (Mazana-Martinex 73 (2)), Cook (7). Subs not used, Marenghi and Hamilton.

Cowdenbeath: Mike Andrews (6); Dean Brett (7), Kenny Adamson (4) (Mo Yaqub 29 (5)); John Armstrong (5)), Ali El-Zubaidi (6)), Pat Scullion (6) (Declan Hughes 56 (3)); Kyle Miller (6), Chris Kane (6), Colin Nish (3) (Gordon Smith 17 (6)),Robbie Buchanan (6)), Greig Spence (7). Subs not used, Brad Donaldson, Luke Armstrong, Sam Orritt and Jamie Sneddon.

Referee-Mike Runcone (6).