Bollan bearing no grudges as Blue Brazil head north

Cowdenbeath head north to face Cove Rangers in an SPFL League Two match for the first time, with Blue Brazil boss Gary Bollan believing both clubs have moved on from a stormy pyramid playoff encounter 15 months ago.

Cove were denied a senior place on that occasion when Cowdenbeath beat them 3-2 on aggregate with three of the Aberdeen side’s players dismissed. However Bollan reckons that has all been forgotten about.

He said: “All that has gone now. This is the first league encounter between the teams and that should be the focus.

“What happened in the past should stay there. We met last year in the Betfred Cup with very little mention of the previous game and there will be even less talk now.

“It will be tough to win up there as Cove have shown they are a side who can score goals. They have lots of creative players and in Mitch Megginson they have one of the best finishers in the league. Declan Glass, who has come in from Dundee United, carries a lot of threat as well. Another striker, Matty Smith, has come on board this week from United as well so we know we are going to be under pressure at various points.

“We will look to cause them problems as well. We have shown we can create chances and score.”

Cowden will have two new faces in their squad, with Hearts starlets Connor Smith and Chris Hamilton having joined on loan until January.

Smith, 17, burst on to the scene for the Jambos in April when he made his first senior start in a 1-1 draw with Hibs, turning in a nerveless showing at Easter Road. The classy playmaker went on to feature in high-profile encounters against Aberdeen and Celtic, cementing his status as one of the Tynecastle club’s brightest young prospects.

Centre-half Hamilton, who had a previous loan stint with Berwick, is the captain of Hearts’ reserve side and has made one top-team appearance.