Cowdenbeath manager condemns strikeforce

COWDENBEATH 0 ANNAN ATHLETIC 1

Cowden are four points adrift at the bottom of Ladbrokes League 2 after their fourth successive home defeat on Saturday.

Edinburgh City are four ahead of Cowdenbeath and Stirling Albion are five to the good, but the Blues have two games in hand over both clubs.

The problem is that Cowden have won only once in their last eight games and that poor form has to be turned around quickly if they are to move up the table.

Cowdenbeath had so much of the ball against Annan but seldom put the visitors’ keeper in trouble and they were denied the point they were probably worth by a fantastic 25-yard volley by Annan’s Darren Ramsay after 53 minutes.

Annan were given a penalty chance to tie things up with eight minutes to go when Gerry McLauchlan pulled down Mark Wright, but Cowden’s comeback keeper, Jamie Sneddon, saved the midfielder’s spot-kick although there was no dramatic fightback.

Cowden manager Liam Fox felt his team just did not do enough to earn a result.

“We had plenty of possession and quite a few efforts at goal but none of them had the stamp of real quality,” he said.

“To be honest I do not think their keeper had a difficult save to make and that is a bit of a worry.

“Too often our final decision in and around their box was delayed or the wrong one made and it allowed Annan to get back and help out their keeper.

“We have to be more incisive and carve out good openings that can be converted.”

Annan have eyes on the promotion play-offs and they now lie in clear fourth place

Boss Jim Chapman was delighted with his team’s defending.

“Earlier in the season we would probably have lost that match, but our defensive work is so much better now we have an experienced player like Gavin Skelton in there helping the young lads,” he said. “It might not have been pretty but for us just now the three points is the important thing.”