SFA likely to probe Sheran’s ‘bias’ claim as Blue Brazil retain senior status

COWDENBEATH

Swann 7pen, 50, Smith 70

COVE RANGERS

Megginson 9, 22

(Aggregate 3-2)

3

The ramifications of defeat for Cowdenbeath could have proved fatal, but it was Cove Rangers who could not cope with a loss that betrayed the pressures of a play-off system otherwise lauded for the type of drama that descended on Central Park.

With one foot in the uncertainty of Lowland League life at half-time, the Blue Brazil pulled themselves back from the brink and retained their SPFL status amid controversy that gave way to acrimony and three red cards as the full-time whistle approached. Remarkable claims of bias then followed from a “cheated” Cove manager John Sheran.

As Cove’s dreams of promotion to the senior ranks dwindled so their tempers rose at a sense of injustice over Cowdenbeath’s winner. Jordyn Sheerin stands accused of impeding keeper Stuart Mckenzie to present Brad Smith with the opportunity of an open goal he gleefully accepted.

“I’ve stood up and the keeper has sort of run into me, I felt.”

0 John Sheran: Feels cheated. said the on-loan Sheerin. “I’ve not meant it. The referee has seen it and chose not to give a free-kick. If anything, it was a free-kick on me, I think.”

Furious at the nature of the goal, the Aberdeen outfit lost their heads in stoppage time. First, Paul Mcmanus was dismissed for dissent then Harry Milne’s wild challenge on Smith sparked a mass melee in front of the Cowdenbeath dugout. When calm was finally restored by the officials, with the aid of the stadium’s security staff, Cove pair Scott Ross andericwatsonsawred,while Sheran, counterpart Gary Bollan and home coach Ian Flaherty were sent to the stand.

Sheerin dismissed it all as “handbags”. “There was massive pressure and there was a lot of relief,” he added.

The issue of promotion and relegation may have been decided but the Scottish FA are likely to ensure it does not end there. The angry post-match claims of Sheran, who alleged referee Steven Kirkland swore at him and his players, are certain to be of interest to compliance officer Tony Mcglennan, who could also have his work cut out identifying the guilty parties in the furious fracas.

“I really don’t know how he could send two of our players off when quite clearly assaults were taking place by Cowdenbeath players on our players,” insisted Sheran. “Our two players were defending themselves, but that was typical of the game. The referee was completely biased towards Cowdenbeath.

“I’m going to say my words carefully here. We feel cheated by the system and by officialdom. From my point of view, it’s extremely frustrating.” Martin Scott believes Stenhousemuir’s back-door promotion triumph was built on character – with a refusal to let the season’s setbacks erode team spirit.

The former Ross County andhibsmidfielderadmits The Warriors should have been title contenders in a three-wayleague2contest this season.

Instead, they trailed champions Montrose and second-place Peterhead by more than 20 points.

But despite finishing fourth, the Ochilview men defied expectations in the play-offs to secure a place in League 1 after Saturday’s narrow defeat at Balmoor.

For Scott, it completed back-to-back promotions after starring in the Arbroath side that won League 1 last season.

The 32-year-old said: “I think you finish in the league where you deserve to finish. But as a group, we underachievedthisseason. I felt we should have been competing at the top with Montrose and Peterhead.

“It should have been a three-horse race for the title but credit to the other teams in the league for making it exciting.

“Theboyshavebeenmagnificent all season. Even when we probably should have been getting better results, we have stuck together and kept going. We always believed that we would go up to League 1 one way or another, so it has been brilliant.” Although Stenny were beaten in the second leg, through Russell Mclean’s headed goal, they scraped through 2-1 on aggregate

Scott added: “We set our stall out in the right way. It seems to work for us. The players complement each other and not just the starting 11, but the whole squad.”

“Everybody was in this together and there is a lot of work goes into winning promotion from any league, so it is a brilliant achievement from everyone involved in the club.”