Cowdenbeath 0 Dunfermline 1

Saturday, 2nd Apr 2011

IRN BRU First Division: Hyde and Woods in for McDougall and Mason. Buchanan (60) 0-1

MATCH PICTURES
For the trip to Central Park, Dunfermline were without the suspended Gary Mason but Andy Dowie moved into his midfield slot with Calum Woods returning at right back.  The only other change was new signing Jake Hyde in preference for Steven McDougall. The Cowdenbeath starting eleven showed one change Archie Campbell starting in place of Greig Stewart.

The home side kicked off playing towards the west end and into the wind, but the league leaders were soon troubling the Cowdenbeath defence.  Liam Buchanan forced a throw in level with the penalty spot and when Austin McCann sent over the cross to the back post Martin Hardie`s downward header was well shut out by David Hay at the base of his left hand post.

Two minutes later Buchanan won a corner off O`Brien but Cardle`s delivery was too strong and a goal kick resulted. The Pars kept up the pressure with Burke, Cardle and Hyde putting in crosses but with no real results.  On ten minutes a poor Woods clearance travelled to Stevie Crawford and his return was headed over the crossbar by Alex Keddie to give the Blue Brazil their first corner of the afternoon but that was not particularly well executed by Mark Ramsay.

Buchanan`s right footed shot on the end of a Chris Smith clearance flew over the bar from 16 yards and next after a neat chip from Hardie, Cardle sent his cross from the other side the same way. There was 20 minutes on the clock when Buchanan released Cardle down the left and his delivery to the near post found Hyde but he was prevented from turning and shooting.

Buchanan was on target just five minutes later with a low left footed shot from 10 yards but Craig Winter was quick to block. At the other end Campbell fed Crawford on the right side of the box and Woods headed behind for a corner and when that came in from the left Smith held easily.

A 28th minute Pars corner was headed over the crossbar to land on the roof of the net by Kevin Rutkiewicz. Play was far from flowing with the wind and the bumpy pitch creating problems for any player atempting to do much with the ball.  McKenzie`s 35th minute delivery was sent behind by Woods, Smith held the corner but booted the ball right out at the other end.

Cardle`s 38th minute cross was coming to Buchanan but Winter turned the ball behind for a corner.  Hay tipped that over his bar and when Cardle sent that in Burke`s on target shot was deflected away off Kenny Adamson.  Another corner in 42 still brought no joy as Rutkiewicz got nearest.

In 44 minutes a McCann cross was met by Hardie and his header came back off the left post and Buchanan then, with Hay on the deck  headed the loose ball over the crossbar from close in.  Quite a miss.

Despite all their possession and the bulk of the territorial advantage Dunfermline failed to find the net.  There had been too many long speculative and ineffective balls aimed at the strikers and so the teams changed around all square.

Half Time: Cowdenbeath 0 Dunfermline 0

Cardle and Buchanan got the second half underway, Cowdenbeath won the first corner but it was Dunfermline who continued to look the more likely to break the deadlock. Hyde fed Hardie the opportunity to cross from the right byeline and although too strong Cardle did get in a return that Hay had to hold,.

The Pars were playing more football in the opening minutes of the second period and were unlucky when Cardle`s ball in from the right was hooked away from Buchanan on the edge of the six yard box. Pat Clarke replaced Jake Hyde in 55 as he joined fellow ex Cowden striker Buchanan upfront.

The hour mark was about to pass with Cowdenbeath`s five men across the back looking impossible to crack but then a long ball bounced nicely for BUCHANAN and the storyline changed. The Pars striker bravely won the ball as O`Brien challenged him on 18 yards and slotted past the advancing keeper. 1-0 to Dunfermline.

As the time ran down it was the Pars who kept the ball in front of the Cowdenbeath goal with Cardle and Hardie greatly involved. A 71 minute corner saw Buchanan closed out by Adamson. A long throw gave the hosts some hope but their tall sub Lewis Coult launched his shot well over the bar.

Being a local derby there was no way the team in blue was going to give up and Scott Linton created a threat from a long throw and then a follow up cross. With thirteen minutes to go David Graham replaced Joe Cardle and the sub was close to a Clarke cross but that elusive second goal was proving difficult to come by.

With news of Raith Rovers drawing with Dundee and Falkirk 2-1 down to Morton the time was dragging. Linton was caught offside when Coult`s low cross travelled through the box as the Blue Brazil made the final minutes nervy. A right footed shot from Campbell was sent past the left goalpost in 89 minutes while at the other end McDougall played Graham into the box but his cross instead of a shot found nobody.

Dunfermline finished strongly though and collected the three points, a good result on such an impossible playing surface.. Raith won 2-1 so the advantage at the top of the league remains two points.

COWDENBEATH: David Hay; Mark Baxter, Kenny Adamson, Craig Winter, Mark Ramsay (c), Marc McKenzie (Lewis Coult 66), Tom O`Brien, Jon Robertson, Scott Linton, Archie Campbell, Stevie Crawford.
SUBS NOT USED: Lee Makel, Kyle Miller, Richard Vauls, Ludovic Roy (GK).

DUNFERMLINE: Chris Smith; Calum Woods, Kevin Rutkiewicz, Alex Keddie, Austin McCann (c); Martin Hardie, Andy Dowie, Alex Burke, Joe Cardle (David Graham, 77), Liam Buchanan (Steven McDougall,85), Jake Hyde (Pat Clarke 55)
SUBS NOT USED: Chris Higgins, Greg Paterson (GK)
SCORERS: Buchanan (60)

REFEREE: Mat Northcroft
WEATHER: Breezy 12C
ATTENDANCE 2104

NEXT MATCH: SFL First Division (home) v Queen of the South
Saturday 16th April 2011, kick off 3:00pm

Views : 4,146

© 2024 ParsTV and Dunfermline Athletic

Check out the Gallery for more photo's -- the images below will scroll through automatically.

Preview Cowdenbeath

Thursday, 31st Mar 2011

While Pars fans smiled when the Blue Brazil drew 0-0 on Tuesday night against Falkirk but Cowden have taken five points from their last four games and they will be no push overs.

TICKET INFORMATION

This is only the second league match in 18 years at Cowdenbeath. The Central Park club took only 13 points from their 44 matches that season and one of the three games that Cowdenbeath won was at East End Park after they had already been relegated. Now that the Pars have hit the top of the league they woill be especially keen to strengthen that.

Jim McIntyre has highlighted how well Cowdenbeath have done in recent matches:-

"We go there on Saturday and we know they have the added edge of it being a local derby and it is going to be a really tough game. We have got to approach the final five games as cup finals but we mist just take one game at a time and not get ahead of yourself.  This league has proven over the years that you can come unstuck if you think if you jest need to turn up to turn teams over.  It doesn`t happen like that because the teams are evenly matched and there`s everything to play for at the bottom as well."

Milestones Cowdenbeath (Away)
Last League Victory	12/02/11	4-0	First Div
Last League Defeat	27/08/77	1-3	Second Div
Best League Victory	12/02/11 1948-49 1938-39	4-0 4-0 4-0	First Div Second Div Second Div
Worst League Defeat	1957-58	0-4	Second Div
*Pre league reconstruction

Dunfermline`s league record against Cowdenbeath reveals 29 wins and 26 defeats with 14 draws. Of the last 13 league meetings Dunfermline have won eleven but this is a local derby and everyone knows history and the form book can go out the window.

Last Twelve League Meetings
2010/11
12/02/11	Cowdenbeath	0-4	Dunfermline	First Division
29/12/10	Dunfermline	5-0	Cowdenbeath	First Division
18/09/10	Dunfermline	2-1	Cowdenbeath	First Division
1992/93
01/05/93	Dunfermline	0-2	Cowdenbeath	First Division
13/02/93	Cowdenbeath	1-2	Dunfermline	First Division
19/12/92	Dunfermline	4-1	Cowdenbeath	First Division
05/08/92	Cowdenbeath	2-5	Dunfermline	First Division

1985/86
15/03/86	Cowdenbeath	0-2	Dunfermline	Second Division
05/03/86	Cowdenbeath	0-1	Dunfermline	Second Division
31/08/85	Dunfermline	3-2	Cowdenbeath	Second Division

1984/85
02/03/85	Dunfermline	1-2	Cowdenbeath	Second Division
17/11/84	Cowdenbeath	0-1	Dunfermline	Second Division
15/09/84	Dunfermline	2-1	Cowdenbeath	Second Division

League Form 

Cowdenbeath	Dunfermline
Current League Position
9	1
League Points
27	55
Goal Difference
-28	+23
Last 6-Match League Form
LLWLDD	DWLDLW
League Record
P14, W3, D4, L7	P16, W7, D4, L5

While Pars fans smiled when the Blue Brazil drew 0-0 on Tuesday night against Falkirk but Cowden have taken five points from their last four games and they will be no push overs. Dunfermline have now lost just one of their last dozen games and are unbeaten in seven.

Form this season home / away matches
Cowdenbeath (home)				Dunfermline (away)
Falkirk	D	0-0		Ross County	W	1-0
Morton	L	0-2		Dundee	D	1-1
Dundee	L	1-3		Stirling Albion	D	1-1
Queen of the South	D	2-2		Falkirk	W	2-1
Raith Rovers	L	0-3		Ross County	D	0-0
Partick Thistle	D	1-1		Cowdenbeath	W	4-0

Last Time Out

DUNFERMLINE (v Ross County): Chris Smith; Andy Dowie, Kevin Rutkiewicz, Alex Keddie, Austin McCann (c); Alex Burke (Trialist 77); Martin Hardie, Gary Mason; Joe Cardle, Liam Buchanan (Pat Clarke 83), Steven McDougall (David Graham 64).
SUBS NOT USED: Chris Higgins, Greg Paterson (GK).

COWDENBEATH (v Falkirk): David Hay; Mark Baxter, Kenny Adamson, Craig Winter (c), Mark Ramsay, Scott Linton, T O`Brien, Jon Robertson, M McKenzie, Greig Stewart (Lewis Coult 76), Stevie Crawford (Archie Campbell 76).
SUBS NOT USED: Lee Makel, Richard Vauls, Ludovic Roy (GK).

Referee will be Mat Northcroft

Jim McIntyre has singled out Gary Mason as being the most influential player for Dunfermline this season but on Saturday they will be without his services as the midfielder serves his further one match ban.

Views : 4,587