Blue Brazil back to winning ways despite finishing with just 10 men

COWDENBEATH 1 QUEEN’S PARK 0

Ten-man Cowdenbeath held on to end their recent five-game winless run with a welcome threepoint haul.

The Blue Brazil had to play the last 35 minutes a man short after striker David Cox was red-carded following a fracas with a couple of Queen’s defenders, but the Fifers closed ranks and defended well – although the visitors’ David Galt hit the bar with 22 minutes left from a 30-yard free-kick.

Cowden had taken the lead on 20 minutes when the Spiders’ trialist keeper could only block a Kris Renton drive into the path of Robbie Buchanan, who fired home from close in.

There were other chances for Cowden with Connor Smith going close twice and Renton seeing a shot deflected off the line while the Spiders were kept to long-range efforts or launching high balls into the box which were dealt with by the home rearguard.

Cowden manager Gary Bollan was delighted with the win, saying: “The lads were superb in defending the lead and their work as a unit was first class.

“We set out to force them to go long in that period of the game and our defenders were outstanding in stopping them getting too many shots at goal.

“It was an important three points for us, we are back on the winning trail and we need to keep that going when we go to Albion Rovers in a fortnight.”

Centre-back Jamie Todd enjoyed the hectic end to the match, saying: “They certainly tried to put us under pressure by firing balls into the box but we have tall defenders and we were able to keep them out.

“I felt we defended brilliantly as a team throughout the match and it was good to get back to winning ways and our aim has to be to get another run going to stay in the top of the table mix.”

Spiders boss Mark Roberts said: “I felt we did not deserve to lose the game but when they went down to 10 with half an hour to go we looked less dangerous than against their full team.”

Scorer Robbie Buchanan.