Fox hails team spirit after late equaliser

An added-time equaliser from sub Cameron Muirhead secured a point for Cowdenbeath at windswept Shielfield Park.

It was a deserved leveller for the Blue Brazil against a Berwick side which finished the match with nine men after straight red cards for Steven Thomson and Steven Notman.

After a quiet opening period, Greg Rutherford opened the scoring for the home side with the first real chance after 17 minutes.

It came when Darren Lavery found space 25 yards out and played in Michael McKenna in the inside right channel. It looked like his cross would be blocked, but it found its way to Rutherford just six yards out and he tucked away the simple chance.

The second period started in scrappy fashion.

It was Cowdenbeath who then started to take advantage of the wind in their favour with a prolonged period of pressure.

They felt hard done by when Renton slotted home but the referee had already blown the whistle for a head injury to Kevin McKinlay.

Kyle Miller then nearly equalised in the 66th minute with a 30-yard free kick which was tipped over by Walker.

Moments later, from the resultant corner, Berwick were reduced to 10 men when Steven Thomson was shown a straight red for deliberately handling Kris Renton’s goalbound header.

However, Dean Brett’s spot-kick was pushed against the underside of the crossbar by Walker and the referee’s assistant ruled it had not crossed the goal-line.

Berwick were reduced to nine men as the game went into added time with a rash challenge by Steve Notman on Kyle Miller producing another straight red card, although Berwick felt they had deserved a free-kick of their own moments earlier for a foul on Lavery.

The Blue Brazil then grabbed the equaliser their pressure deserved when sub Cameron Muirhead’s shot crept into the corner of the net to spark wild celebrations and secure the visitors a valuable point.

Cowdenbeath manager Liam Fox: “I felt a point was the least we deserved but when you’re 1-0 down going into the last minute I suppose you take it.

“We hadn’t taken a great earlier opportunity with the penalty and one or two other chances came and went which is how our season has been going.

“Great credit to the boys, though. They showed great togetherness, kept going until the last second and it got us a point,” he said.

“Hopefully it will provide us with the boost we needed and we can keep it going.”