Cowdenbeath on winning run

Ladbrokes League 2

Attendance-275

TWO second-half goals gave Cowdenbeath three valuable points at Central Park last night which took their recent run to four wins in five matches in all competitions.

Cowden moved closer to the top five with the win which pleased manager Gary Bollan.

He said: “It was a tough game but we hit the woodwork twice in the first-half then scored twice after the break and it was good all round performance.

"Again we defended well and recorded another clean sheet and that gives you something to build on.

"However, we want more performances like that in the weeks ahead as we want to have our our eyes on the top four placings."

Kris Renton opened the scoring and commented: "Josh Skelly did a brilliant job with the cross and I managed to nip in before the Queen's defender to slip the ball home.

"The confidence level in the squad is good and if we can keep this momentum up we can have a very good season."

Cowden were without the ill Jordyn Sheerin, suspended Fraser Mullen and injured Martin Scott and Mr Bollan used Jason Talbot as his third centre-back with Robbie Buchanan and Harvey Swann as the wing backs.

In three minutes Cowden came close when Kyle Miller’s pass set up David Cox and his left foot shot from 10 yards was brilliantly blocked by Queen’s ‘keeper Jordan Hart.

A minute later Cowdenbeath threatened again when the ball fell to Swann 14 yards out but he blasted over.

Queen’s started to get more possession but in 19 minutes Swann’s cross from the left was met by Robbie Deas and his header cannoned back off the Queen’s bar and Renton was stopped by a fine tackle from Jamie McKernon, from netting the rebound.

In 26 minutes Queen’s had their first real shot at goal when Kieran Moore found Scott McLean and his 12 yarder was blocked by David Marsh.

Three minutes later Kurtis Roberts fired a low 18 yarde which Dave McGurn held but on the half hour Gary Fraser’s corner was met by the head of Renton and his effort came back off the inside of Hart’s left hand post but stayed out.

Cowden started the second period with Josh Skelly on for Swann and in their first attack Buchanan’s curving left foot 16 yard was held by the diving Hart.

Then in 50 minutes the Blue Brazil grabbed the lead. Skelly made an immediate impact with a great cross from the right and RENTON slid the ball into the net at Hart’s far post.

Queen’s hit back and McLean made a great run into the home box and it took a fine Deas tackle to deny the striker.

But in 57 minutes Cowdenbeath threatened again when at the other end a Deas header set up Marsh but with only the ‘keeper to beat he missed his kick and Hart smothered the ball.

The visitors had a great chance in 66 minutes when Lewis Hawke beat the home off-side trap but he was frustrated by two challenges from McGurn and Deas completed the clearance of the danger.

Eight minutes from time Cowden got the key second goal. Hart failed to clear a long ball properly and only succeeded in finding SKELLY who coolly lobbed the ball into the empty net from 25 yards out with the ‘keeper stranded.

Cowdenbeath: Dave McGurn (7); Gary Fraser (6), Jason Talbot (7); David Marsh (7), Robbie Deas (7), Kyle Miller (7); David Cox (6) (Jordan Allan 79 (3)), Blair Malcolm (6), Kris Renton (8), Robbie Buchanan (6), Harvey Swann (6) (Josh Skelly 46 (6)). Subs not used, Harris Kay, Mark Fotheringham, Jamie Pyper and Ryan Goodfellow.

Queen’s Park: Hart (7); Grant (6), Summers (6); McKernon (7), McLauchlan (6), Magee (6); Fotheringham (6) (East 63 (3)), Roberts (6), Hawke (7), Moore (6) (Trialist 65 (3)), McLean (7). Subs, Mortimer, Peters, Martin, Kindlan and McDougall.

Referee-Steven Kirkland (6).