Cowdenbeath 2 v 1 Albion Rovers

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Attendance : 409

Scorers ~ Cowdenbeath : Gemmell (21, 38). Albion Rovers : Harty (Pen 41).

Albion Rovers travelled to deepest Fife to take on the league leaders Cowdenbeath and for the third time at the same venue this season were narrowly defeated. In from the start was another loan player, Steven McKeown from Alloa Athletic, Ross Harris missed the game due to injury.

Brian Fairbairn was first to impress from a 25 yard free-kick which Jamie Ewings struggled to stop. In nine minutes Sean Fleming hit a 25 yard free-kick for Rovers towards the Blue Brazil goal but it was too high to concern the 'keeper.

Former Rovers striker John Gemmell flighted in a long throw from close to the near corner, John Armstrong met the ball with a weak header that Ewings dealt with comfortably.

In 21 minutes Gemmell took a John Dempster pass and slipped it in at the near post from 16 yards to put the Fifers ahead. Ian Harty and Fleming combined well to reach the homesters box but the move fizzled out as it got there.

It was almost two in 33 minutes when a cross found Armstrong clear at the near post, his kick was so high it was more of a clearance than a shot. The second wasn't long coming though from target man Gemmell who fired through a packed box from its edge.

Fleming came close before Rovers pulled one back courtesy of Harty from the penalty spot in 41 minutes. Darren McGregor received a yellow card for shoving Robert Walker to the ground to give Rovers fresh hope from 12 yards.

Half-Time

Visiting fans hoped for a big improvement at the interval as they tried to keep warm on a chilly January afternoon. After five minutes Bobby Barr took it upon himself to have a go, his run up the near wing jinking past a couple of blue shirts. The run ended with the ball crossing the goal with nobody able to get the all important touch.

Graeme Brown then forced a diving save from Ewings. Marc Pollock replaced Fleming to give the forward line a boost.

Jay Shields blasted high and wide before Dempster came much closer a minute later when he brought down the ball on the far side only to drill it across the Rovers goal and out. Next it was Fairbairn who hit a shot straight to Ewings.

Alan Benton was then shown a yellow card by the distinctly awful Mr. Charleston, his infraction of the rules was throwing the ball away as a free-kick was being awarded. That would be fair enough had the home side not already escaped punishment for the same offence on several occasions.

Ewings caused consternation when he spilled a Cowdenbeath corner which ended up being cleared for another corner which he caught. Barr skimmed in a free-kick from close to the corner flag which evaded the defence eventually ending up in the arms of David Hay.

Only inches prevented Danny MacKay finishing the match with a header. The consistently dire refereeing resulted in Gemmell being given a free-kick not far from Rovers area after a clear ball to hand incident. The ball evaded the assembled wall but was met with a superb diving save by Ewings. Seconds later another and much better Cowdenbeath claim for handball inside Rovers penalty area was ignored by the man in black.

Brendan Crozier replaced Marco Andreoni in 73 minutes and shortly afterwards had a trundling shot go wide of the target. With five minutes remaining Crozier had a piledriver blocked inches from the line by a defender and the 'keeper who were on the ground.

Alan Reid had an attempt which was best forgotten, then Rovers gaffer Paul Martin brought on Chris Hughes for Harty with just two minutes remaining.

Substitute Mark Ramsay volleyed spectacularly but inaccurately on the stroke of 90 minutes. Deep into injury time Crozier pumped in a corner which Hay eventually gained control of.

Summary

A disappointing performance from both teams although on paper it was never going to be easy for Rovers to prevent the league leaders go seven matches undefeated. The flow of the game wasn't helped by the abysmal refereeing which treated both sides equally poorly.

Cowdenbeath : Hay, Baxter, Fleming, McGregor, Armstrong, MacKay, Gemmell (Ramsay 84), Shields, Dempster, Brown (Tomana 64), Fairbairn (Stein 89). Subs Not Used : Mbu, Jackson.

Albion Rovers : Ewings, Reid, McGowan, Donnelly, Benton, Walker, McKeown, Andreoni (Crozier 73), Harty (Hughes 88), Barr, Fleming (Pollock 56). Subs Not Used : Ferry, Scott.

Referee : Craig Charleston

Man of the Match - Jamie Ewings

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