Match Preview: Cowdenbeath v Partick Thistle

The Blue Brazil are back in action on Tuesday night at home to Ian McCall's Partick Thistle side - kick off 7.45pm.

It is an important game with both teams looking for points to ease relegation fears and Jimmy Nicholl is looking for a big improvement on the weekend's performance.

"Saturday's display was very disappointing", commented Nicholl.

"We went in level at the break without really getting into our stride but basic defensive errors have cost us again. We can't continue to make the same misakes and I worked with the boys at training tonight to try and eradicate costly errors.

"I need the players to show their character and play to the level I know they are capable of."

Mark Baxter is missing again with a foot injury and will be joined on the sidelines by John Dempster. However, Joe Mbu could feature.

So far this season it's been a win each - an early season victory for us at Central Park (goals from Brian Fairbairn and John Armstrong after Kris Doolan has opened the scoring for the Jags) and a 1-0 defeat away from home with former Cowden man Liam Buchanan scoring the vital goal.

Our recent form has been disappointing with only 4 points gained out of the last 24 available.  Our opponents have a more respectable amount with 11 points - incredibly though they are unbeaten in their last 10 league outings since a 2-1 loss to Dundee on the 6th of November. It'll take a massive effort from the Cowden squad but with new signings - including Lee Makel (pictured) and thus a greater depth to the squad their is hope for optimism at Central Park. In fact Partick haven't won at Central Park since a league cup meeting away back in February 1978! 

An early goal for Cowdenbeath could prove vital with Thistle only having gained a single point when the other team have opened the scoring this season while we have twice came from behind to win and twice to draw.

The 15th of February has seen little action on this day in recent times for The Blue Brazil - in fact only one game since the 90's has been played on this date which was a demoralising 4-1 defeat at home to Queen's Park in 1997 (Dougie Coultson scoring our only goal when already 4-0 down). Cowden have grown in stature since then and should prove to be a tougher unit to break down even with our large goals conceded this season.  Despite this we can still catch up with Partick who sit in 5th if we win this game and then our game in hand over them, which underlines quite how tight the league is from middle to bottom.

Match of the day fact of the week: Cowdenbeath have only mustered one goal in our past 6 games (an own goal as well!) - the worst in Scotland.  The only clubs close to us are Hamilton and Berwick Rangers who have managed 3 goals in their past 6 games - things can only get better in front of goal, starting on Tuesday night!