Cowdenbeath 0, Stirling Albion 3.

Ladbrokes League 2

Attendance-371

THE league leaders were simply too good for the Cowdenbeath team and seldom had to break sweat, at Central Park on Saturday.

Cowden’s defence made too many errors and they seldom posed Albion any real problems.

The Blues had Fraser Mullen and Harvey Swann back in midfield, but it made little difference as the team that has been winning a lot of games in the first quarter, dominated this area.

It meant that in the first period Cowdenbeath had few good openings and while in the second-half they started to press more and have a couple of chances, there simply was not enough to put Stirling under pressure. All in all another blank day on all fronts.

The Albion took advantage of an early slip by Cowden in midfield and Callum Morrison fired just over from the edge of the box.

In 10 minutes Cowdenbeath built up some good pressure and Ben Stirling’s 19 yarder was held by Cammy Binnie.

Stirling had looked the likelier side to break the deadlock and in 27 minutes they got the goal they wanted. Liam Caddis set up SMITH and he fired an angled 10 yarder high into the net.

Then six minutes later it was 2-0. Morrison’s free-kick was curled into the box and Peter MacDONALD’s header flew past Dave McGurn.

Stirling opened the second period on the attack and Smith’s 22 yarder went just over.

In 63 minutes Cowden came close when Binnie failed to gather a cross and Josh Morris’s low shot was blocked by Ross Smith then Cammy Muirhead’s low shot was brilliantly held by Binnie.

But in 66 minutes the killer third goal came. Smith produced a nice assist and sub Neil McLAUGHLIN fired the ball low into the net from the middle of the box.

Cowden’s Muirhead came close again for the Blues but the Albion defence was looking confident and ensured that the home comeback never really got off the ground.

Cowden’s best chance came with three minutes left when Buchanan’s fierce 12 yarder produced a great save from Binnie.

Cowdenbeath: Dave McGurn (6); Matt McInally (5), Shaun Rutherford (6); Fraser Mullen (5), Scott Rumsby (6), David Syme (6); Robbie Buchanan (5), Ben Stirling (5), Jordan Garden (6) (Josh Morris 58 (3)), Brad Smith (5) (Charlie Denton 62 (3)), Harvey Swann (5) (Cammy Muirhead 46 (5)). Subs not used, Kyle Miller, Ali Smith, Ryan Connelly and Blair Penman.

Stirling Albion: Binnie (7); McGeachie (7), Hamilton (6); Mitchell (7), R Smith (7), Black (7); Morrison (7) (Kavanagh 79 (3)), Caddis (7), MacDonald (4) (McLaughlin 35 (6)), D Smith (8), Robertson (7). Subs not used, Noble, Banner, Dickson, McMullen and Foden.

Referee- John McKendrick (7).