Ballymena Utd 2 Cowdenbeath 2

Following the intervention of the Mayor of Ballymena - special permission is required to play games on the same weekend as the MIlk Cup - Cowdenbeath played their first ever game in Ireland.  The match versus Ballymena United was played at the Ballymena Showgrounds and Cowden were right at home as there was a stock car track around the pitch.
 
It was though a very unfamliar Cowdenbeath line up in a 3-5-2 formation.  Davie Hay was in goal.  The back 3 comprised a Trialist, Craig Winter and Trialist.  Midfield was Mark Baxter, Jon Robertson, Colin Cameron, Kenny Adamson and Scott Linton.  Twin strikers were Brian Fairbairn and Trialist. 
 
Cowdenbeath took a bit of time to settle.  Ballymena had two free kicks efforts that came to naught but it was third time lucky when Irish international striker Andy Smith took the next one. His Forlan style shot dipped and swerved past Hay - it must have been one of those World Cup footballs!
 
Worse was to follow when Ryan Berry deftly glanced home a header.  Cowdenbeath were struggling for cohesion at this stage.  David Hay pulled off a fine save to deny a third goal.  Cowden though began to find their feet and the home goalkeeper produced some top class saves to stop Robertson and trialist from hitting the net.  Half time saw Cowden two down.
 
Mark Ramsay came on for a trialist and Cowden switched to 4-4-2.  Cowdenbeath now looked more at home and took the game to United.  Substitutions galore littered the second half.  Craig Winter, Mark Baxter and Kenny Adamson all went off injured to be replaced by Thomas O'Brien, Dean Brett and another trialist respectively.  The trialist keeper came on for Hay, trialist for Brian Fairbairn and trialist for Colin Cameron.  It was Colin Cameron's replacement who turned the tide with a good header from a fellow trialists cross.  The ball was blocked but the assistant referee flagged for a reverse Lampard.  Cowdenbeath were right back in the game.
 
In the 84th minute Mark Ramsay equalised with a rocket from the edge of the box after the ball was neatly laid back to him by a trialist.
 
Cowdenbeath then pressed for a third but Ballymena almost clinched it at the death with a header that went just over.  2-2 was the final score and Cowden had done well to come back.  The small Cowdenbeath contingent in the stand including some of our Dublin based fans were pleased with a share of the spoils. 
 
After the match the Cowden team and officials were warmly received in the Boardroom and received a presentation from the Mayor and club officials.  The Cowdenbeath party then return tonight to their impressive base at the Galgorm Country Club.

TEAM: David Hay, Trialist, Craig Winter, Trialist, Mark Baxter, Jon Robertson, Colin Cameron, Kenny Adamson, Scott Linton, Brian Fairbairn and Trialist. Subs - Mark Ramsay, Thomas O'Brien, Dean Brett, Trialist, Trialist, Trialist, Trialist.