Beath a four-ce for Gers

Cowdenbeath got a huge lift ahead of Friday’s Scottish Cup clash with Rangers by thumping 4-1 win at Elgin.

The Fifers closed in on a play-off spot with a Jordan Allan double and goals from David Cox and Kris Renton.

Darryl McHardy hit Elgin’s consolation goal.

Beath boss Gary Bollan said: “It gives us a boost to score four goals as this is a place that is hard to win.”

Peterhead boss Jim McInally blasted the Cliftonhill pitch after his side’s 2-0 win over Albion Rovers.

Second-half goals from new signing Ryan Dow and sub Russell McClean kept the Blue Toon just three points off top spot.

McInally said: “We did a professional job but I don’t think even Pep Guardiola could get a team playing well on that surface.”

A mistake by keeper PJ Morrison gifted Dow the opener in 48 minutes and Rovers boss Kevin Harper sighed: “That cost us.”

Leaders Edinburgh City bounced back to winning ways with a 4-0 demolition of Queen’s Park.

City had only taken a solitary point from their last two games but goals from Danny Galbraith, Allan Smith and Blair Henderson had them cruising after just 15 minutes at Hampden.

Henderson got his second before the break and City boss James McDonaugh said: “Some people might have asked questions of us after the last two games but we well and truly answered them.”

Spiders boss Mark Roberts said: “It’s not great goals from them, it’s errors we should be cutting out. It’s a bad day.”

First-half goals from David Goodwillie and Chris McStay and John Rankin’s late strike secured a 3-0 win for Clyde at Berwick.

The Bully Wee dominated and boss Danny Lennon said: “If you want to nit-pick it is that we didn’t score more but overall I am very pleased with both performance and result.”

Berwick boss Johnny Harvey said: “We need to improve.”

Peter MacDonald’s double gave 10-men Stirling Albion a 2-1 win over Annan.

Tommy Muir’s first-half strike hauled Annan level and Dominic Docherty saw red for an apparent headbutt before MacDonald’s 77th-minute winner.

Boss Kevin Rutkiewicz said: “Even with 10 men we found a way to dig in and I’m proud as punch.”

Annan gaffer Peter Murphy said: “We just lacked quality.”