A GOOD performance from Cowdenbeath saw them win this basement battle and move up the table.

And it was an historic day with striker Iain Russell getting his 200th goal in league football.

Cowden’s injury problems eased a bit for this important game and for the first time in weeks they had a full bench and the team responded with a solid performance.

The defensive work had a lot fewer errors about it, and in midfield Kyle Miller, Robbie Buchanan and Gavin Morrison took control and made Brechin struggle to create many clear openings.

However, emergency loan ‘keeper Ross Munro had to make a couple of really good saves at key moments and it guaranteed the very important win.

In attack Russell and Kris Renton combined well with Graham Taylor to cause City lots of problems and the former’s celebrations after grabbing the second showed how much his 200th league goal meant to him.

The Blue Brazil were better in all departments in a keenly contested game which saw both teams create chances.

City had the first shot in nine minutes when Connor Coupe tried his luck from 25 yards and it flew straight into Munro’s gloves.

The Blues took the lead in 13 minutes from their first corner of the game. Fraser Mullen’s set piece was met by skipper Craig BARR deep in the City six yard box and he bulleted the ball over the line.

Three minutes later Russell got into a good position in the Brechin box but O’Neil saved and then from another home corner Renton looked to have doubled the lead, but his flick rolled inches wide.

In 25 minutes another flick by Renton sent Taylor racing into the Brechin box but a desperate tackle by the son of the Cowden boss, Luc Bollan, saw the ball race into ‘keeper O’Neil’s hands from Taylor’s effort.

City had a couple of good raids without getting a meaningful shot in and on the half hour Cowden were awarded a free-kick on the edge of the City box and Miller saw his shot curl around the defensive wall, but then just past O’Neil’s left hand post.

With five minutes to go before the break Cowden came close again when Mullen’s free-kick was right on Barr’s head but with the goal gaping his effort just cleared the bar.

On the interval whistle Munro made a fine save grasping Martin Scott’s header as it headed for the top left hand corner of the net.

Cowdenbeath doubled their lead in 51 minutes when the City defence failed to clear and RUSSELL struck from close range to give the home side a breathing space and his delight at getting his 200th goal saw some great celebrations,.

Four minutes later Miller missed a golden chance for the home side when Taylor did brilliantly to beat two defenders and squared to the unmarked midfielder but from only 12 yards he blasted over an open goal.

But on the hour Munro made a point blank save from the City substitute Trialist after the home defence had got into a fankle after a good pass from MattyTodd.

With 12 minutes left Renton produced some fine control and a good cross from deep inside the City box and sub Cian Kavanagh’s flick from four yards rolled just wide.

However, City kept at it and in 82 minutes Todd went on a good run into the home box and his fierce angled shot shot was grabbed by Munro to ensure a shut out.

Cowdenbeath: Ross Munro (7); Fraser Mullen (7), Harvey Swann (7); Jamie Todd (7), Craig Barr (8), Kyle Miller (7); Robbie Buchanan (7), Gavin Morrison (7), Kris Renton (7), Iain Russell (7) (Cian Kavanagh 71 (3)), Graham Taylor (7). Subs not used, Olly Hamilton, Jacob Glass, Ross Pollock, Mikey Herd, Trialist, Craig Easton and Mac Whyte.

Brechin City: O’Neil (7); Bollan (6), Coupe (7) (Luissant 77 (3); Reekie (6), Jordan (7), Currie (6) (Trialist A 57 (3)) ; Paton (7), Scott (6), Barron (6), Todd (7), McLevy (6). Subs not used, Brown, Page, Inglis, Trialist B and McMinn.

Referee-Barry Cook (7).