Woods’ miss gets relieved Cowden out of spot of bother

Cowdenbeath killed off the dream of senior football for Lowland League side East Kilbride by ending their nightmare run of missed penalties.

The Blue Brazil had failed with six consecutive spot-kicks going into this League 2 Play-off final second leg but, after the 120 minutes at Central Park had ended 1-1, the hosts kept their nerve to win the shoot-out 5-3.

After the first leg ended goalless, Cowdenbeath, who were battling to keep their 112-year-old place in senior football, took just three minutes to score, Fraser Mullen driving home from the edge of the box.

Gary Locke’s assistant, Billy Brown, had jetted in late from Magaluf but was there in time to see Kieran Gibbons grab an equaliser for East Kilbride midway through the second half.

Both sides had chances to win the game but penalties were called for. Cowdenbeath had a perfect record, with Mullen, Kris Renton, David Syme, Craig Johnston and Liam Henderson scoring.

Adam Strachan, Russell Mclean and Joao Vitoria did likewise for East Kilbride, but a miss by Paul Woods, pictured, saw the hosts survive.

Brown flew back to Magaluf and Locke said: “There were nerves especially when we went to penalties but the practice we put in was worth it. ”

East Kilbride manager Martin Lauchlan said: “It was not to be but our time will come.”