Cowden left to rue missed chances

COWDENBEATH 1 ELGIN CITY 1

Cowden boss Gary Locke was pleased to see his team take a point against promotionchasing Elgin, but was left to rue missed chances in last night’s League Two game.

Locke said: “We created a number of chances and it was good point after losing the first goal against a good side.”

The game kicked off 35 minutes late due to the closure of the Forth Road Bridge and City attacked from the start with Chris Dodd firing over from only 12 yards in two minutes.

Cowden came back into the game and Robbie Buchanan’s low shot was blocked on the edge of the Elgin six-yard box before Kris Renton fired wide.

As the hosts enjoyed a good spell, Renton and Dale Carrick had 18-yard shots blocked within the space of 60 seconds.

But it was the visitors who took the lead on 20 minutes when Thomas Reilly sent Brian Cameron through and he cleverly clipped the ball wide of Jamie Sneddon.

Cowden fought back and on 26 minutes Renton took a long throw from Jamie Pyper and turned to fire in a fierce 10-yard shot which keeper Cammy McKay held.

Then, 11 minutes from the break, Renton fed Buchanan 10 yards out but, with McKay stranded, Daryl McHardy spread himself on the line to keep the ball out.

City made a change at the break and brought on Shane Sutherland for namesake Ally but it was Cowden who scored when Liam Henderson’s long pass sent Carrick clear and his angled shot gave McKay no chance.

Carrick threatened again four minutes later when he burst clear and only a crude foul by sub Mark Nicolson stopped his progress. The striker was denied again by a brilliant diving save by McKay.

On 67 minutes Renton fed Buchanan and this time the keeper saved the midfielder’s effort with his legs.

With nine minutes left Elgin’s Chris McLeish fired in a 20-yard shot which Scott Rumsby bravely blocked. Attendance: 278.

Cowdenbeath: Sneddon, Pyper, Rutherford, McLauchlan, Rumsby, Mullen, Buchanan (Moore 87), Henderson, Carrick, Renton, Syme. Subs not used: Glen, Johnston, Miller, Muirhead, McGurn.

Elgin: McKay, Cooper (Nicolson 39), McPhee, McHardy, Brownlie, Reilly, Stewart, Cameron, McLeish, A Sutherland (S Sutherland 46, Gunn 52), Dodd. Subs not used: Reid, Moore, Smith, Waters. Referee: David Munro.