Cowdenbeath 1, Edinburgh City 0.

Ladbrokes League 2

Attendance-422

COWDENBEATH went second with this compact performance against City.

In dreadful weather the Blues worked hard, at Central Park on Saturday, and deserved their victory over a team that created very few openings, even when they had the full eleven.

Again Cowden’s defence was their best aspect, keeping the visitors in check throughout the game with teenager Chris Hamilton the best in this one, putting in some timely tackles and passing well, with Craig Barr and Jamie Todd not far behind.

Wing backs Fraser Mullen and Robbie Buchanan were also outstanding throughout.

The midfield was not so as impressive as in recent weeks, but still Archie Thomas showed some great passing skills and KyleMiller also did well while Connor Smith took a hard knock which led to the red card, but never gave up.

David Cox was the match winner and along with Kris Renton worked really hard.

City opened using their height advantage positively and in five minutes Jordan Sinclair sent over the first corner of the match and former Blue, Chris Kane, headed inches wide.

However, three minutes later a deep Buchanan cross was looking a certainty for Cox but Kane headed past his own post, then from the corner Cox’s header was brilliantly blocked by City ‘keeper Aidan McAdams.

In 17 minutes a fine home move saw a corner form which Barr came close to heading Cowden ahead, but Conrad Balatoni got to the ball first and headed over his own bar.

Cowdenbeath threatened again in 21 minutes when Smith got free on the edge of the City box and his fierce 20 yarder whistled past the post.

However, in 29 minutes home ‘keeper Peter Morrison made a fine save from Danny Handling’s 15 yarder then the City midfielder hit Cowden’s right hand post with an angled drive from just inside the box.

Cowden fell out of the game heading towards the break as City started to dominate the midfield area and Hamilton had to made a couple of good interceptions to avoid dangerous situations developing.

However, Cowdenbeath went ahead a minute from the interval when the City defence got in a right fankle when Thomas created an opening and COX flicked the ball into the net from close in.

Then on the half-time whistle visiting skipper Craig Thomson was given a straight red card for a terrible foul on Smith.

City started the second-half positively and Liam Brown tried his luck from outside the box and the shot just went over.

In 51 minutes Hamilton picked out Buchanan with a raking 40 yard pass and his lay-off set up Renton 18 yards out but he fired wide.

However, City saw plenty of the ball despite being a man short and started to probe a Cowden side who were struggling to put together many good moves.

Then in 64 minutes City’s Alex Harris fired a 25 yarder in and Morrison had to work hard to grasp it.

Two minutes later Hamilton made a good pass to Buchanan and his 18 yard volley crept just wide.

Then with 16 minutes to go sub Jordan Allan rounded McAdams but saw his finish come back off the post and Balatoni booted the ball clear.

However, with ten left Harris crossed from the left and sub Jonny Court came close to levelling but the Blue Brazil saw the game out.

Cowdenbeath: Peter Morrison (7); Fraser Mullen (7), Chris Hamilton (8); Jamie Todd (7), Craig Barr (7), Kyle Miller (7); David Cox (7), Robbie Buchanan (7), Connor Smith (7) (Jordan Allan 3)), Archie Thomas (7), Kris Renton (7). Subs not used, Graham Taylor, Jamie Pyper, Kyle Sneddon, Euan Valentine, Harvey Swann and Mac Whyte.

Edinburgh City: McAdams (7); Thomson (6),McIntyre (7); Balatoni (6), Brown (6) (Court 67 (3)), Kane (7); Handling (7), Sinclair (7) (Watson 73)), Crane (6), Brown (6), Shepherd (7) (Newman 87 (2)), Harris (7). Subs not used, Newman, Dunn, Henderson and Beveridge.

Referee-Steven Reid (7).