Cowdenbeath 1, Peterhead 3.

Ladbrokes League 2

Attendance-250

PETERHEAD consigned Cowdenbeath to their fourth successive defeat as they stayed top of Ladbrokes League 2 with this win last night.

The League Leaders came back from losing an early goal for the Brazil and eventually won with a bit to spare.

In the first period Cowdenbeath created a couple of good chances but the slick moving Aberdeenshire side always looked dangerous through the division's top scorer, Rory McAllister and Shane Sutherland.

Defensively Cowden did reasonably well but they got caught out badly at the third goal with the ball being simply shunted forward and not dealt with.

Cowden boss Gary Bollan felt his team competed well with the league leaders, but..., “We needed to hold onto the lead a lot longer than six minutes to really ask Peterhead questions but we competed well for the most part although we got caught out for the killer third goal.

"However, we again made a couple of errors which helped their cause at all three goals and had we used the ball better from wide areas could have scored more than just the single goal.

"We have a quarter of the season left and we have to up our game in these matches to finish as high up the table as possible."

Peterhead boss Jim McInally was delighted at staying top of the table: “We were hit by an early blow but the lads quickly got back into the game and it was a good win at the end of the night.

“We just have to set our sights on winning as many as we can in the coming weeks.”

Cowden had an attack in the first minute when Gary Fraser’s long throw was knocked down by Kris Renton and Robbie Buchanan fired wide from 12 yards, then Buchanan made a fine run down the left and his cross was met by Renton and his header drifted away from Greg Fleming but was cleared by Paddy Boyle.

However, in five minutes the Blue Toon had their first raid and Ryan Dow’s cross was met by Scott Brown and his clever shot was inches too high, then Dow himself latched on to a long Greg Fleming clearance and shot inches wide from 10 yards out.

Cowdenbeath went ahead in 16 minutes when Fraser Mullen sent over a lovely cross from the right and with the Peterhead defence failing to put in a meaningful challenge David COX cleverly beat his marker and fired low past Fleming from 10 yards out.

However, six minutes later the visitors levelled. A fine run by Rory McAllister saw him send over a fine cross from the right and SUTHERLAND was first to it and guided the ball past Aaron Lennox from seven yards out.

In 33 minutes Cowden threatened again when another Fraser throw was met by Robbie Deas and his header was saved by Fleming but a minute later Peterhead went ahead when a Jamie Stevenson pass gave McALLISTER the chance to fire low past Lennox from 10 yards out.

The second-half had a lively start with McAllister going close for the Blue Toon and at the other end Harvey Swann’s angled 18 yarder held by Fleming.

On the hour mark Willie Gibson’s 25 yard free-kick went just wide and then Scott Brown 12 yarder was held by Lennox.

The key third goal came with ten minutes left when a through ball let McAllister run in on Lennox and he kept his cool to clip the ball into the net from 16 yards.

Cowden kept trying though and with a minute to a fine Mullen cross was met by sub Jordyn Sheerin but his header was straight at Fleming.

Cowdenbeath: Aaron Lennox (6); Fraser Mullen (6), Luc Bollan (6); Jamie Todd (6), Robbie Deas (6) (Jamie Pyper 46 (6)), Blair Malcolm (6), (Mark Fotheringham 67 (3); David Cox (7), Robbie Buchanan (6), Kris Renton (6), Gary Fraser (7), Harvey Swann (7) ( Jordyn Sheerin 87 (2)). Subs not used, Miller, Allan, Sneddon and McGurn.

Peterhead: Fleming (7); Dow (7) (Lyle 57 (3)), Boyle (6); J Brown (7), Dunlop (6), Stevenson (7) (Ferry 72 (3)); Sutherland (7), S Brown (7), McAllister (8) (Willis 84 (2)), Leitch (6), Gibson (7). Sub not used, Willis, Home, Eadie, Willox and Henderson.

Referee-Lloyd Wilson (6).

Attendance-250.