Match Report - By John Hoey

A superb second-half fight-back by City saw them overturn a three goal deficit and earn a vital point against Cowdenbeath in a dramatic game at Glebe Park.

City still need to take two points from their remaining two games against Cowdenbeath and Stirling Albion to make sure of reaching the play-offs, assuming that their nearest challengers Dumbarton, take full points from their remaining two games against Arbroath this coming Saturday and relegated Clyde the following week.

City though, can take a great deal of heart from their second-half performance and they were desperately unlucky not to have come away with three points, which would have clinched their play-off place.

Manager Jim Duffy kept faith with the side which defeated East Fife by 1-0 on Saturday.

The Fifers started the match at a whirlwind pace and were two goals up within the first six minutes.

The first goal came after a couple of minutes when Paul McQuade collected a pass, wide on the right and delivered a low cross into the penalty-box for Gareth Wardlaw who volleyed the ball home from close-range.

City had hardly time to draw breath before they found themselves two goals down five minutes later after defender Darren McGregor picked up a pass 25 yards from goal and sent a blistering right-foot drive into the corner of the net, giving City keeper Craig Nelson no chance.

Cowden were dictating the pace of the game and City were finding it difficult to cope. Their first opportunity came after 14 minutes when a Krisjanis Vallers shot from the edge of the box went just over and a Rory McAllister effort three minutes later was saved by keeper David Hay.

The visitors though seemed to have the points wrapped up on the hour mark when Jon Robertson passed to McQuade who quickly played in Wardlaw who had the simplest of tasks in steering the ball beyond Nelson.

City put pressure on the Fifers’ defence immediately after the break and pulled a goal back after just six minutes when McAllister collected a Byers pass and blasted the ball high into the net and they got themselves sensationally back into the match three minutes later when McAllister ran on to a long ball which he steered into the net beyond the reach of Hay.

The game was now a reversal of the first-half with City totally dominating play but they were finding it difficult to turn their superiority into the equalising goal.

However, with four minutes of the game remaining, they got their reward for a superb fight-back when Vallers got himself into the Cowdenbeath box to rifle the ball home from close-range.

City manager Jim Duffy said,

“ We didn’t start the game at all well and we were totally flat.”

“ We didn’t begin to settle down until around the twenty minute mark and by that time, Cowdenbeath were two goals up.”

“ We looked dead and buried when the third goal went in, but after the break we took the game to Cowdenbeath and a great fight-back earned us a deserved draw.”

“ Not for the first time this season, the players showed their character and I was delighted for them.”

“ It’s a valuable point which edges us that bit closer to the play-offs.”

Cowdenbeath manager Danny Lennon said,

“ I’m completely shell-shocked by the result.”

“ Three up at the break, we never expected that Brechin would be able to come back at us the way that they did but all credit to them.”

“ To come back from three goals down and dominate the second-half is incredible.”

“ Our boys though have to take responsibility for what happened.”

“ Our supporters paid a lot of money to travel through and watch us tonight and the players have let themdown.”

Other Results - Irn Bru 2nd Division

Clyde 1 Stirling Albion 2

Binos Victory Relegates Clyde