Cowden give Hearts a tough test

COWDENBEATH 1 HEARTS 1

Cowdenbeath fought back well from losing a goal in the first minute to Premiership side Hearts – and made a real game of it.

Player/boss Colin Nish chose not to go on during the game and was pleased with what he saw.

“It was a step up in standard and the lads handled it well,” he said.

Hearts took the lead after 60 seconds.

The Cowden defence were sliced apart down their righthand side and Billy King ran clean through to slip the ball home.

Cowdenbeath hit back and a Dean Brett cross was met by Greg Spence, his overhead kick going just wide, then a trialist fired past the post.

On 22 minutes, as Cowden started to dominate possession, Spence cleverly hoodwinked Jordan McGhee and a fierce shot went close from 12 yards.

Two minutes later a cross from former Celtic youth Mo Yakub, who had joined the club earlier in the day, was met by the former Raith striker and the ball rolled inches wide.

On the half-hour Hearts came back when King sent over a cross from the left, with Osman Sow’s shot deflected for a corner by Brad Donaldson, but eight minutes from the break Cowden levelled. A cross from the right was perfect for Craig Johnston to blast a low shot past Jack Hamilton from 14 yards.

Hearts made nine changes at the break but it was Cowden who attacked, and Spence shot straight at Hamilton from 16 yards.

Hearts struggled to create chances but Dario Zanatta’s pace on the right gave them an edge, and a move involving the winger saw Lewis Moore fire in a 22-yard shot which flew just over.

With nine minutes left Zanatta worked space for himself 10 yards out but a fine tackle by home skipper John Armstrong kept him at bay.