Cowdenbeath 0, Queen’s Park 3.

SPFL League 2

A THIRD defeat on the trot for the Blue Brazil, but Queen’s got the rub of the green to get the key second goal with a wicked deflection giving home ‘keeper Ross Sinclair no chance.

The league leaders looked really sharp and had a lot of good possession in the last third of the pitch, especially in the first period.

Although Cowden had Robbie Buchanan back in the middle of the park he found it hard going to make an impact on the game as the Spiders used the ball well in the first-half.

Indeed, it meant that at times the Cowdenbeath defence found itself under a lot of pressure.

Sinclair, back from his wrist injury, had to pull off a lot of good saves as the back four found itself in difficulties to keep tabs on the dangerous Jai Quitongo, Bob McHugh and David Galt.

It meant that at times Kris Renton and Ian Russell were starved of chances, but on a couple of occasions they threatened to get their team back in the game.

However, in the second period Cowden had so much more of the game and they missed a couple of really good chances but lost two goals which saw deflections play their part in the ball hitting the net.

A minute’s silence was held before kick-off in memory of Argentinian football wizard, Diego Maradona, who died last week, and it was Queen’s who had the first opportunity with a Ross Maclean shot which the returning Sinclair had to finger-tip over in the fifth minute.

Seven minutes later Buchanan sent Herd through on the left and with Renton and Russell waiting in the middle the midfielder’s cross just flew inches over the bar with ‘keeper Willie Muir stranded.

On the quarter hour Maclean made good ground on the Cowden left and his low 18 yarder was turned past the post by the diving Sinclair. However, a minute later, from an in-swinging Galt free-kick, Peter GRANT escaped the home marking and his 10 yard header gave the ‘keeper no chance as the Spiders grabbed the lead.

Cowden got back into the game and in 28 minutes Mullen sent over a great cross from the right and as Renton went for it a fine header by Lee Kilday cleared the danger.

However, at the other end a fierce 25 yard shot from Grant Gillespie brought out a fine save five from Sinclair and then a pile driver from Bob McHugh was blocked by Kyle Miller but with a minute to go to the interval Muir made a finger tip save from Russell’s low 10 yarder.

Right on the restart Cowden threatened when Harvey Swann’s free kick was nodded down by Craig Barr, but almost on the line, Russell failed to make contact with the ball and it rolled past the post.

The Blues were awarded a free-kick on the edge of the QP box after a foul on Russell, but Miller’s 20 yarder was charged down by the wall, then in Queen’s first real attack of the second period they doubled their lead in 58 minutes.

GILLESPIE made ground into the home box and fired in a shot from 16 yards, which seemed to be covered by Sinclair, but the ball took a wicked deflection off a defender and rolled into the net with the ‘keeper going the other way.

With 75 minutes on the clock Mullen’s corner was somehow missed by both Barr and Todd deep inside the Queen’s six yard box.

Then with eight minutes left Buchanan made a god run into the Queen’s box and he got a strong left foot shot in from 10 yards out which the diving Muir saved.

In time added on Queen’s got another good break when the ball broke off Mullen and gave sub Simon MURRAY the chance to add number three.

Cowdenbeath: Ross Sinclair (7); Fraser Mullen (6), Harvey Swann (6); Jamie Todd (6), Craig Barr (6), Kyle Miller (6); Graham Taylor (6), Mikey Herd (6), Kris Renton (7), Ian Russell (6) (Olly Hamilton 73(3)), Robbie Buchanan (6). Subs not used, Jacob Glass, Cian Kavanagh, Gavin Morrison, Jamie Pyper, Ross Pollock and Mac Whyte.

Queen’s Park: Muir (7); Doyle (6), Robson (7); Grant (7), Kilday (7), Maclean (7); Lyon (7), Gillespie (7), McHugh (7), Galt (8), Quitongo (6) (Murray 63)). Subs not used, Morrison, Longridge, Slater, Paterson, McGlinchey, Baynham and Heraghty.

Referee-Calum Scott (6).