Cowdenbeath 3-1 Elgin City

Last updated : 20 September 2004 By Footymad

A swirling wind made for a scrappy encounter between the two sides, when both defences struggled to cope with the conditions, but Cowdenbeath nearly took an early advantage after just three minutes.

New signing Darren Gribben beautifully lofted the ball over the defence and Dene Shields ran into the area, but Shields could only watch as a toe poke came off Iain Mauchlen and the foot of the post.

Three minutes later though, the home side were in front. Mauchlen's corner was headed out by Stuart Cumming, but only as far as David Mowat, who lashed the ball home from just inside the area.

However, that lead just lasted two minutes with the visitors levelling in bizarre circumstances. Paul Kaczan scuffed his shot into a crowded penalty area, with the bouncing ball eventually ending up in the bottom corner, much to the despair of the scrambling Andrew Carlin.

Both sides went in level at the break and although Elgin looked the likelier to score, it was the home side who managed to go in front.

A high ball into the area was met by Innes Ritchie, whose header looked goalbound, though John McKeown got the final touch.

A brilliant individual effort from Sheilds gave Cowdenbeath their third in injury-time, which the home side probably deserved after a workmanlike second-half performance.

City: Kieron Renton, Allan Dempsie, Iain Vigurs, Paul Kaczan, Stuart Cumming, Jamie McKenzie, Fraser Bremner (Paul Napier 81), Adam Nelson, Martin Harty, Willie Martin (Hugh Dickson 71), Andy Roddie.
Subs not used: Jason McDonald, Murray Duff, Martin Pirie