Cowdenbeath 0, Elgin City 0.

Ladbrokes League 2

Attendance-307

THE downpour was the eventual winner at Central Park on Saturday as Cowdenbeath and Elgin fought out a goalless draw with good chances at a premium.

Cowden did have openings but just could not get the key goal which could have turned the result their way, although Jamie Todd did have the ball in the net.

In saying that Kevin Drabowski had to be on the alert to keep the dangerous Shane Sutherland and co in check and he did so with some good reading of situations developing.

Not surprisingly the stars for both sides were in the defensive areas with Craig Barr and Jamie Todd impressive, alongside Jamie Pyper and Harvey Swann, in blunting the City attack.

However, at the other end City ‘keeper Thomas McHale was excellent for Elgin alongside central defenders Stephen Bronsky and Andy McDonald, making sure that Kris Renton and Connor Smith were denied a goal.

Chris Hamilton had a busy game in the Cowden midfield as did Robbie Buchanan, but often moves broke down because of the very wet conditions.

In the first minute City’s Rory McEwan cut inside from the Cowden left and fired in a low cross which Dabrowski grabbed on his line.

In seven minutes Harvey Swann made a good run into the City box and his low cross was missed by the Elgin central defence, but before Graham Taylor could react Euan Spark cleared.

Cowden had a chance in 18 minutes when Mikey Herd fired a 25 yarder just inches over the City bar.

Smart work by Elgin ‘keeper Thomas McHale, in 22 minutes, managed to get him out of bother when a Stephen Bronsky pass-back put him under pressure, but he coolly managed to beat Kris Renton and belt the ball clear.

Cowden threatened two minutes later when Renton was floored 22 yards out but Barr’s fierce shot was bravely blocked by Brian Cameron, then Todd’s header drifted over the ‘keeper an into the net but the referee chalked it off.

In 33 minutes Renton got free in the City last third and his fierce right foot drive was just inches wide.

City’s Kane Hester got space on the Cowden right and he moved into the box and his low cross was too strong for Sutherland and Dabrowski mopped up the danger

In 48 minutes City were awarded a free kick 25 yards out after a rash Todd tackle and Russell Dingwall’s shot was just too high.

Taylor got free on the right and his cross was met by Barr who tried to knock it down for the inrushing Smith but McHale was alert to the danger and smothered the ball.

Then in 55 minutes the ‘keeper came to the rescue for Elgin when Smith got clear of Bronsky and the ‘keeper blocked the youngster’s 10 yard drive and then held his follow shot.

In 62 minutes Dabrowski slid off his line to deny City’s half-time sub Rabin Omar after a good Dingwall pass.

With 12 minutes left Dabrowski denied Sutherland with a brave sliding clearance but at the other end sub Jordan Allan gathered a Buchanan pass and got clear but he fired wide then in 83 minutes Smith’s left foot 10 yard shot hit a an Elgin foot and ballooned up in the air and Spark headed over from underneath his own bar.

Then at the other end Sutherland powered in a 10 yard header which Dabrowski saved well, so there was plenty of action but no goals.

Cowdenbeath: Kevin Dabrowski (7); Jamie Pyper (6), Harvey Swann (7); Jamie Todd (7), Craig Barr (8), Chris Hamilton (7); Mikey Herd (7), Robbie Buchanan (6), Connor Smith (7), Kris Renton (7), Graham Taylor (6) (Jordan Allan 68 (3)). Subs not used, Euan Valentine, Archie Thomas, Kyle Sneddon, Ross Pollock, Jacob Glass and Mac Whyte.

Elgin City: McHale (7); Cooper (6), Spark (7); McDonald (7), Bronsky (7), Dingwall (6); MacEwan (6), Cameron (7 (Omar 46 (6)), Hester (7) (Aitken 79 (3)), Sutherland (7), McKay (6) (O’Keefe 89 (2)). Subs not used McHardy, Sopel, Loveland and Hoban.

Referee-Graham Beaton (6).