THE Blue Brazil won for the first time since early November as they ended a run of six games without a win against University of Stirling.

Goals from Scott Sinclair and Jack Garrad were enough for Cowdenbeath to start 2023 in flawless fashion with a well deserved victory at Central Park on Saturday.

After ending last year with a stalemate against title-chasing Tranent, they built on that momentum by sweeping aside the fifth-place Students.

Cowden were strong at the back throughout the game, with centre-backs Jordan Armstrong, Mackenzie Lemon and Alfie Robinson in dominating form.

And in the second period, when they had the wind behind them, the Blues created several outstanding chances and took two of them.

Stuart Love and Lucas Berry dominated midfield in that part of the game, and with wing-backs Ewan Thomson and Sam Newman pressing forward, the visitors had to work hard to keep the home side out.

Sinclair scored a well taken goal and worked really hard, while Sean Slaven was unlucky not to pick up a goal himself.

Uni booked the wind in the first-half but in five minutes a defensive error from Stirling let Mikey Cunningham clean through, but his second touch was poor and it let ‘keeper Ben Fry grab the ball at his feet.

But in seven minutes Uni replied with an 18-yard Cammy McKinley shot which was blocked by a brave Robinson challenge.

The Students kept pushing forward, but good defending from Armstrong and Newman kept the scoreline blank after the first 25 minutes.

Nine minutes from the break Jason Jarvis sent over a long cross from the right, and with wind assistance it had Danny Farrell under pressure, and the ‘keeper pushed the ball against the underside of the bar, and Lemon cleared.

In the first minute of the second period Cowden’s Berry got into a good position and his low eight yard shot brought out a good save from Fry and then three minutes later Slaven went through and only a brilliant save from the Uni ‘keeper kept the ball out.

However, in 51 minutes the Blues went ahead. A low ball into the middle fell to Sinclair, eight yards out, and his fierce left foot shot gave Fry no chance.

With 18 minutes left Slaven turned Ben Heal and his left foot shot from 16 yards went inches wide.

But with eight minutes to go Stirling went close when James Berry latched onto a left wing cross, but flicked the ball just wide.

Then in the last minute Cowden got the key second, when a poor clearance by Fry went straight to sub Jack Garrad, 25 yards out, and the midfielder fired it into the empty net.

It completed a good performance from the hard-working home side and ends a run of six games without a win.