A LATE collapse saw Cowden end their league season with a third successive defeat when they took on East Kilbride at Central Park on Saturday.

The Blue Brazil dealt well with East Kilbride’s first-half attacks with the elements backing the visitors, and then went ahead in the second period with a lovely move.

But in the closing 15 minutes, a defence which had dealt well with anything thrown at them, contrived to lose three goals from poor work, which gave new Cowden boss Calum Elliot, watching from the stand, plenty to think about.

In the first-half Cowdenbeath had produced the better of the few chances created, and then scored as good a goal as seen at Central Park in many a long day.

But in the closing moments of the game, the problems which have dogged the Blues from time to time this season returned, and handed EK a win which did not look likely for much of the match.

In three minutes it took smart work by Danny Farrell to deny Reece McGuire, after a Ronan Hughes pass deceived the home defence.

With the strong wind behind them EK attacked strongly, and Farrell had to deal with a series of crosses in the opening 15 minutes.

In 22 minutes Cowden, in a rare raid, should have taken the lead when Callum Murray and Dan Watt combined to set up Stuart Love 15 yards out with just ‘keeper Max Currie to beat, but he fired well over the bar.

Four minutes later, sharp work by Hughes saw him fire in a hopeful 35-yarder with Farrell off his line, and the ‘keeper was happy to see the ball drift inches wide of his far post.

Nine minutes from the break Jack Garrad set up Watt 18 yards out, but with only Currie to beat, he sclaffed his shot straight at the ‘keeper.

Eight minutes into the second period Cowden went ahead when Scott Walker started the move, with a 35-yard pass that sent Murray on a run down the left and his low cross was fired into the net by Jack Garrad from 15 yards.

On the hour mark Cowden had another chance when a long Walker free-kick was nodded down to Love, by Watt, but his shot went just over.

However, in 75 minutes EK levelled when the unmarked Daniel McManus got his head to a deep cross and the ball crept underneath the bar.

Then four minutes later a handball by Mackenzie Lemon gave away a penalty which allowed Bob McHugh to put East Kilbride ahead from the spot.

The visitors scored a third two minutes into time added on when slack marking allowed sub Ross Taylor to slot home from only eight yards out.