Cowdenbeath 2, Edinburgh City 0.

Ladbrokes League 2

Attendance-325

A WELCOME first win for Cowdenbeath but the clinching goal did not come until three minutes from time.

This game, at Central Park on Saturday, turned into a real struggle for both sides as they found goal scoring hard work with defences on top of the front lines throughout.

Goalkeeper Davie McGurn had some great saves for the home side while his counterpart at the other end, Calum Antell, did likewise so goals were at a premium.

Again without centre-half Gerry McLauchlan, the home back line had a makeshift look again about it and City were able to create a few good openings but McGurn was on top of his game.

Chris Turner and Brian Ross kept the midfield ticking over but the supply to the dangerous Kris Renton and Nikolay Todorov was not plentiful enough for they looked capable of piercing holes in the visiting rearguard.

Cowden threatened in 90 seconds when Brett’s cross was met by Renton and his header just cleared the bar.

In 17 minutes Cowden threatened again when Todorov’s lay-off found Renton and his fierce 20 yarder was blocked by Antell but within a minute at the other end McGurn pulled off a fine save from John Dunn’s eight yard shot then Dean Cummings’ 18 yarder went just wide.

In 24 minutes City’s Ian McFarland brought out another good diving save from McGurn with a 16 yard drive but on the half hour Fraser Mullen hit the City post with a fierce 25 yard free-kick and three minutes later the Blues took the lead.

Shaun Rutherford’s long ball was misjudged by the City defence and bounced high in the air and as Antell came off his line RENTON calmly headed over the ‘keeper.

Three minutes after the break Turner’s angled 16 yarder went only inches wide then Antell made a brave block from Todorov.

But soon after City threatened when Aaron Dunsmore found Ross Guthrie from the left hand side and his 18 yarder was brilliantly held by McGurn, then in 61 minutes Mullen’s 30 yard free kick was finger tipped over by Antell.

In 75 minutes it was McGurn to the rescue for the Blues when Dunsmore’s pass sent Allum clean through but the ‘keeper smothered his 12 yarder.

The second and clinching goal did not come until three minutes from time when Gary Glen hit the inside of the post and MOORE knocked in the rebound to ease home worries.

Cowdenbeath: Davie McGurn (7); Fraser Mullen (7), Shaun Rutherford (7); Greg Ross (6), Craig Sives (7), Brian Ross (6) (Kyle Miller 65 (3)); Dean Brett (7), Chris Turner (7), Nikolay Todorov (7), Kris Renton (7) (Gary Glen 67)), Lewis Moore (7). Subs not used, David Robertson, Craig Johnston, James Creaney, Jordan Leslie and Jamie Sneddon.

Edinburgh City: Antell (7); Porteous (6), Dunsmore (7); Guthrie (7) (See 67 (3)), Martyniuk (6) (McDonald (74 (3)), McKee (7); McFarland (7) (McConnell 81 (2)), Cummings (6), Allum (7), Dunn (7), Caddow (7). Subs not used, Donaldson, Mushin, Gair and Stobie.

Referee-John McKendrick (7).