The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Confidence high for survival mission
ELGIN CITY 0 COWDENBEATH 0
Cowden boss Gary Locke says his team is prepared to fight for the club’s league survival in the pyramid play-offs.
Saturday’s draw at Elgin consigned the Blue Brazil to bottom spot in League 2 and a two-legged showdown with Lowland League champions East Kilbride to decide who plays in the SPFL next term.
Locke was encouraged by his team’s display away to an Elgin side who were playing for a place in the promotion play-offs.
“I couldn’t be happier with the performance,” he said. “The boys gave everything they had today. All that was lacking was a goal.
“We are certainly going into the play-offs as a team fully confident.
“We had a great support (at Elgin) and they really got behind the side. Hopefully we will take that support to East Kilbride next week.
“The players know what is at stake in these games and they know what is required.”
Cowdenbeath lost to East Kilbride in the Scottish Cup earlier this season, a game which the Fife side’s striker Kris Renton remembers well.
“They beat us 1-0 and I think we got bullied that day so we know what to expect,” said Renton. “I think we took it for granted that they were a team in the league below and we won’t be thinking that way in the play-off.”
Renton was consoled by the fact that, even if he had scored the winning goal on Saturday, Cowden would still have finished bottom following Clyde’s draw at Montrose and Berwick’s 3-2 success over Edinburgh City.
The front man was unlucky not to score on several occasions with Elgin keeper Marc Waters Renton’s nemesis all afternoon.
Cowden now face two tension-packed legs against East Kilbride, who beat Highland League winners Buckie Thistle 2-1 on Saturday to advance 4-3 on aggregate.