AFTER two weeks of heartbreak Calum Elliot has challenged his side to break Hearts B tonight (Friday).

The Blue Brazil are still in search of their first league win of the season after conceding last-minute equalisers in each of their opening two games.

Like the previous week against Celtic B, Cowden were desperately unlucky not to win the game when Civil Service Strollers came to Central Park on Saturday.

They had the opportunities to get the key third goal against Strollers, but were denied by some brave goalkeeping and four minutes into time added on they conceded the equaliser.

A good crowd of 305 were well entertained by what they saw and now the Cowden side will want to get a win on the board at Ainslie Park on Friday.

While disappointed not to win the Strollers game, manager Calum Elliot was very encouraged with way his side put together really good passages of play.

“It was a bit of a sucker-punch they hit us with and it was a blow to lose that goal, but it underlined how important it is to kill teams off,” he said.

“The way the team created some very good chances was excellent, and there were several opportunities to get third goal we wanted.”

Looking ahead he added: “Hearts B will be another tough fixture, but we are all about continuing to improve our performances and this will be a game we will be going there to do everything we can to get the three points.”

Right-back, Scott Walker, missed Saturday’s match but could be fit for this weekend’s game and centre-back Dougie Hill came through the Strollers game unscathed and should be in his usual place for Friday night’s game.

In addition, a fresh face arrived at Central Park last Friday afternoon in the form of 18-year-old Adam MacDonald.

Joining on loan from Motherwell, the midfielder was an unused substitute on Saturday and has signed on loan for the duration of the season.

Commenting on his arrival, Elliot said: "We’re delighted that Adam has joined us.

"We have been in close contact with Motherwell recently, I now look forward to working with Adam.

"He is a talented boy, has a lot of attributes which we like and he’ll add real competition in the middle of the park."

MacDonald also shared his own thoughts after signing, stating: "Buzzing to be here, it’s a great club and after speaking to the gaffer it was clear they’re very ambitious for the season ahead and can’t wait to get started."

Cowdenbeath 2 Civil Service Strollers 2

COWDEN had to settle for a point for the second successive week after losing a very late goal to Civil Service Strollers.

The Blues had created a lot of chances, at Central Park on Saturday, and had been denied by some good goalkeeping, but it seemed they were going to run out narrow 2-1 winners.

However, in the 94th minute of the game Strollers got the equaliser, to leave the young Cowdenbeath side dumbfounded.

But they had a lot to be pleased about, in a game which saw them play the better football and create some fine openings.

For the third successive home fixture in all competitions, they had the better chances, and in wingers, Zac Butterworth and Jamie Docherty, they had two tremendous entertainers and there were certainly no failures in the home side.

In nine minutes Docherty’s 20 yard free-kick produced a fine save from Strollers’ ‘keeper, Jacob Pazikas, and then four minutes later Butterworth sent over a fine cross and Docherty’s goal-bound shot was blocked on the edge of the CS six yard box.

The Blues took the lead in 18 minutes, when Andy Rodden was hauled down by Ross Clarke five yards inside the Strollers box, and Docherty made an expert job of the spot-kick.

However, the lead lasted for just five minutes. The home defence failed to pick-up Mark McConnell at a corner and he squeezed the ball over the line from close-in to square the game.

However, within eight minutes Cowdenbeath went ahead again when Butterworth latched on to the ball, fired over from the left, and his 12-yard volley flew low past Pazikas.

Then two minutes from the break the winger won a tackle 30 yards out and his low drive was saved by Pazikas.

Six minutes into the second-half visiting skipper, Conrad Balatoni, came close for Strollers with a glancing header from a corner which went inches wide.

In 55 minutes home ‘keeper, Craig Hepburn, came to the rescue of his side with a fine diving save from attacker Innes Lawson, but three minutes later Pazikas pulled off a brilliant one-handed save from Rodden’s curling and deflected 22 yard free-kick.

With 22 minutes to go Hepburn was again in action with a good block from a Marc Laird shot, but shortly after Josh Jack hit the underside of the Strollers’ bar with a fierce 14-yard volley.

It was a good open end to the game and in 77 minutes Rodden’s fierce angled free-kick brought out a fine save from the Strollers’ last line.

It looked odds on that Cowden would hold on to take all three points, but with the last move of the game CS got the equaliser. 

They forced a corner and from the delivery, in the 94th minute, substitute Kris Amponsah nodded home the equaliser to leave the young Cowden side being hit with a late equaliser once again.