2Match Report
Cowdenbeath v Stenhousemuir at Central Park, Cowdenbeath on 15.11.08
Irn Bru League Three Att 406
Cowdenbeath 1 [McQuade 82] Stenhousemuir 2 [Thom 15, Dalziel 26]
This was another hard fought match against one of the teams that will be there at the upper echelons at the end of the season. The Warriors went into this game without top scorer Kevin Motion who was starting a two game suspension after his dismissal against Dumbarton the previous week.
The side was boosted however by the return of Stevie Ferguson after injury and although he was not 100% due to a cold he was able to add some bite to the Stenhousemuir midfield.
The league leaders kicked off with the elements in their favour as not only did they have the wind at their back the Cowdenbeath defenders had to cope with a low sun in their eyes as well.
The majority of the first half was played in the Cowdenbeath half of the pitch and it really came as no surprise when the Warriors pressure paid dividends in the 15th minute when a long throw by John Ovenstone was met by his central defensive partner Gary Thom who headed past a despairing keeper.
The Warriors doubled their lead in the 26th minute when Sandy Hodge gave away a cheap freekick pratically at the corner flag and Iain Thomson’s delivery picked out Scott Dalziel whose header was well placed low and hard into the corner of the net giving Scott Gallacher no chance of stopping.
Even though Cowdenbeath had been pegged back into their own area for the first half everyone realized that the play would probably be in Cowden’s favour in the second period and from the start they looked the most likely to make the breakthrough.
They started with growing momentum as they tried to get back into the game and although the Stenhousemuir defence and midfield held firm more and more of the play was at the wrong end of the park for the Stenhousemuir faithful. There was some lessening of the pressure however in the 63rd minute when Jay Shields was stupidly sent off for his second booking both for dissent to the referee.
In the last quarter of the game the home side began to take control once again with substitute John Gemmell adding to their threat. The pressure looked as if it had paid dividends in the 80th minute when Darren McGregor headed past Scott Bennett but the celebrations were cut short by the intervention of the assistant referee Gavin Ross when he flagged for offside.
Two minutes later they did get a goal when a Paul McQuade effort was helped into the net by the base of the post.
If that was not enough to put pressure on the Warriors their cause was hindered even further when Willie Lyle who had been on the ground for part of the build up to the goal kicked out at Gemmell as the Cowden forward returned to his own half and Lyle was swiftly shown a red card for violent conduct by referee Bobby Madden.
With time running out Gemmell should have also been sent off for an off the ball incident with Craig McEwan the victim and there was to be more controversy when in stoppage time the home side had a penalty claim turned down when they felt that McEwan had handled in the box though it looked more an appeal of desperation rather than anything else but Gemmell was caution for his vociferous protests.
This was another good win for the Warriors who once again showed lots of character to get the all important win and with the Shire beating Dumbarton it extends their lead at the top of the table and sets the meeting between the local rivals up nicely for next week
Cowdenbeath – Gallacher, Shields [b49, so 63], Adamson, McGregor, Armstrong, Hodge [Baxter 30][b32], Tomana [Gemmell 73][b90], Fleming [b67], Dempster, McQuade [b74] and Ramsay. Subs not used – Stein, Fairbairn and Hay
Stenhousemuir – Bennett, Lyle [so 82], McGroarty, Thom, Ovenstone, Thomson, Shirra, Ferguson [b10], Dalziel [Hampshire 78], Brand and Love [McEwan 83]. Subs not used – Hamilton, Miller and Renton.
Referee – Bobby Madden Assistants – Francis Andrews and Gavin Scott
