A POOR second-half performance saw Cowdenbeath throw away two Lowland League points on Saturday with a 2-2 draw.

In the first period Cowdenbeath were by far the superior side against Caledonian Braves, but a host of missed chances saw them only one up at the break.

Then they were gifted an own goal early in the second period, but instead of going on and putting things out of sight, they started to give the ball away cheaply and Braves, who kept at it despite being outclassed in the first-half, pulled one back, then grabbed the leveller with only four minutes to go.

It has been something that has become a regular situation for the young Blues side, failing to convert their early chances then throwing away goals from set-pieces in the closing stages.

Things started brightly as in the first minute Zac Butterworth went down the right and his cross set up Ewan McPherson 12 yards out and his low shot brought out a fine diving save from ‘keeper Bernie White.

As the Blues kept pressing, in eight minutes, MacPherson was set up by Aiden McLaughlin seven yards out but a brave block by former Cowden defender Daniel Martins, saw the ball deflected out for a corner.

Then in 15 minutes another Butterworth cross was met by Jamie Docherty and his fierce right foot shot was finger-tipped past the post by White.

On the 20 minute mark McLaughlin’s spectacular 30 yard shot came down off the underside of the bar, but the ball stayed out.

Four minutes later Braves’ Ross McNeil broke free of the home cover, but he was denied by a fine save by Craig Hepburn.

Three minutes from the break Cowden went ahead when MacPherson was fouled by Martin in the Braves’ box after getting clear down the left, and Docherty converted the spot-kick.

Six minutes into the second period Cowdenbeath scored again, when Butterworth’s cross from the right was turned into his own net by Martins, trying to clear under pressure from MacPherson.

However, in 57 minutes Caledonian’s half-time sub, Cameron Breadner, burst into the Cowden box and his left foot shot came back off the bar with Hepburn beaten.

Then with 23 minutes left visiting sub, Greg Stewart, applied the finish as the ball fell kindly to him to hit from the edge of the area.

Cowden were defending poorly at this stage, and several corners posed real problems, but somehow they survived until the closing moments.

Then in 86 minutes the equaliser came when the home defence failed to deal with yet another corner, and Braves’ Jack McDowell bundled the ball into the net from close in to end a disappointing game for the home side.