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Cowdenbeath 2 v 1 Albion Rovers |  |
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Cowdenbeath 2 v 1 Albion Rovers | |
| Bell's League Third Division 8th April 2006 |
Attendance : 350
Scorers ~ Cowdenbeath : McKenna (73, 76). Albion Rovers : Chaplain (41).
Albion Rovers travelled to Fife to play a Cowdenbeath side placed 2nd in the table but hoping to take advantage of 1st playing 3rd to take the top spot. It wasn't easy for them but they did just that despite going behind.
Rovers had arguably the best of the initial skirmishes but in 6 minutes a corner from former Rover Kevin McBride to former Rovers trialist Armand Oné saw the Frenchman's glancing header go wide of the mark.
A minute later Stephen Donachy had a go from 25 yards only to direct the ball straight to Andy Carlin in the Cowden goal. Shortly afterwards the Blue Brazil came close when Liam Buchanan saw his diagonal shot from 6 yards end up on top of Rovers net.
Rovers replied when Lee Sichi sent in a corner that Scott Chaplain shot through a crowded box to 'keeper Carlin. Chaplain was there once more a few minutes later when he headed the ball to George Wallace who was in a good position but to no avail.
A long Cowden ball towards Rovers goal had Gary McGlynn advance from his box, he then hesitated only to continue and clear the danger. David McKenna showed the first sign of his influence on the game when his shot missed the goal.
It was Rovers turn to come close in 25 minutes when Chaplain put in a low pass from the nearside which Sichi contrived to put over the opposition bar from 5 yards. Oné was next to squander a good chance when he received the ball in plenty of space but blasted it far too high.
Martin Bonnar provided a perfect ball through the Cowden defence to Wallace in space on the edge of the box, the resulting shot from the forward came off the 'keeper. At the other end of the pitch Oné provided the ball to Buchanan who made McGlynn pull off a quality stop.
In 32 minutes an uncharacteristically poor header by Gordon Lennon gave Buchanan an undeserved opportunity to shoot, McGlynn was equal to it and punched it out for an unproductive corner. McGlynn was in action once more when a high ball into his area saw 2 attackers challenge him for the ball, he managed to knock it out of harms way.
A McGhee free-kick rebounding off the assembled Cowdenbeath wall preceded Rover going ahead. Scott Chaplain was the man who slotted the ball low across the 'keeper into the Cowdenbeath net after a well judged pass from Lennon.
Half-Time
The second period started brightly for Rovers when Carlin juggled a Chaplain shot, dropping it at the feet of Sichi. The striker shot but Carlin recovered in time to stifle it.
A strong McKenna shot didn't trouble McGlynn before his team were awarded a free-kick 25 yards out, the kick rebounded to safety off Sichi in Rovers wall.
A long John Ward run gave Oné the ball who in turn crossed to McKenna in Rovers box, luckily for the Coatbridge side he stumbled around for long enough for a defender to get onto the goal-line however in the end McGlynn saved the shot in any case. McGlynn failed to hold a free-kick in 58 minutes but Lennon was on hand to clear the loose ball.
A Chaplain ball through the Blue Brazil defence ended with a powder-puff Wallace attempt. Then midfielder Iain Mauchlen was making a nuisance of himself, firstly by getting booked for a foul then getting onto the end of a pass which found him in space. He manoeuvred his way into a packed part of Rovers box and this resulted in his shot being blocked.
In 73 minutes a long upfield ball by 'keeper Carlin caught 3 to 5 players Cowden players in a suspected offside position, St. Mirren's on loan striker McKenna latched onto the ball and fired into the net from 15 yards.
McKenna didn't wait long to score again when Buchanan gave him the ball to drive home from close range in 76 minutes. Jim Chapman made some changes to in an attempt to redress the balance bringing on Sim and Reid for Sichi and Wallace. Lennon and Sim conspired together to give Chaplain an opportunity but the weak shot at the end of it was disappointing.
Chaplain was once more on the attack when poor defending and a failure to clear their lines allowed the move which ultimately led to the ball going wide of it's intended target.
Darren McGregor slicing the ball wide from a good if suspiciously offside position then Donachy ended a run with a cross intended for the waiting Friel but Carlin interceded.
Wallace and Black of Rovers gained yellow cards during the proceedings.
Summary
Another match which Albion Rovers can easily place in the "we lost but deserved something from the match" category.
Cowdenbeath : Carlin, Guy, Kevin McBride, Ward, Hill, McGregor, Mauchlen (Paul McBride 71), Baxter, Oné (Hughes 89), McKenna, Buchanan. Subs Not Used : Thomson, Scullion, Gilbertson.
Albion Rovers : McGlynn, Black (Young 88), McGhee, Lennon, Donnelly, Friel, Sichi (Sim 77), Chaplain, Wallace (Reid 77), Bonnar, Donachy. Subs Not Used : Noble, Quinn.
Referee : Alan Muir
Man of the Match - Scott Chaplain
