Date: 31st October 2009	Kick off: 12:00pm
Competition: Irn-Bru 2nd Division	Referee: Steve Conroy
Venue: Central Park	Attendance: 733
Man of the Match:

Cowden won the ‘High Noon Derby’ to move into second place thanks to early goals from Brian Fairbairn and Jon Robertson.

There was further good news later in the afternoon when news filtered through that leader’s Stirling Albion had lost at Peterhead and Brechin could only draw with Dumbarton.

There were three changes to the starting line up which had drawn with Brechin. David Hay and Gareth Wardlaw returned to the starting line up along with Mark Ramsay who had scored in the midweek reserve game between the sides.

Cameron McKay and Scott McBride dropped down to the bench while Jay Stein had to watch from the side lines after picking up a knock.

Youngster Dean Brett, who had scored the winner for the reserves, was rewarded with a place on the bench taking over from John Ferguson who was suspended after his midweek  red card.

The game was only two minutes old when Brian FAIRBAIRN had the honour of scoring the first ever goal with the newly launched Irn Bru footballs.

Keeper Baillie spilled a Robertson shot and Fairbairn was on hand to crash the ball high into the top corner of the Fife net.

The Fife drew level ten minutes later when a long free kick from Smart fell to Steve CRAWFORD who fired home from 12 yards for an equaliser.

In a blistering opening period Jon ROBERTSON scored what proved to be the match winner after 14 minutes when McQuade cut the ball back to the youngster to fire home from the edge of the box.

Soon after we had a lucky escape when a Hay Clearance hit off Ovenstone’s back but thankfully he chipped the ball wide of the post.

On the half hour Linn sent a 20 yard shot just wide of the post as the Methil side looked for an equaliser.

Two minutes later at the other end Robertson was unfortunate not to add to his goal tally when Wardlaw set him up to fire in a shot from 25 yards which was turned over the bar by Baillie.

As the opening period drew to a close McManus had a couple of chances for the visitors firstly Conway fired in a cross which the striker sent well wide of the target and then he sent a 20 yard left footed shot over the bar.

Seven minutes into the second half Linn saw a shot from eight yards come back off the Cowden upright and soon after Smart headed just wide from a Linn corner.

Midway through the half Ramsay burst down the left wing evading a few challenges before seeing his final shot being saved by Baillie. When play stopped Smart found himself in referee Conway’s book for a foul.

McQuade then came close to sealing the points when he met a cutback from Fairbairn but shot over from 12 yards.

With 20 minutes to go Hay pulled off a stunning one handed save to keep the visitors at bay denying Kerr whose header was scooped away by the Cowden custodian before Droudge eventually cleared the danger.

As the game drew to a close sub McBride saw a low shot from the edge of the box held by Baillie while in injury time Adamson was unlucky not to have a clear run in on the Fife goal after being set up by McQuade but the assistant referee’s flag put a stop to the move.

Danny Lennon spoke to the Blue Brazil Online after the game:

"I was delighted to win the derby match and reward our fans for their terrific backing this season.

"There was not much between the teams but we scored two great goals from open play and created chance after chance.

"At the other end we defended well in the closing stages and the discipline and concentration from the boys was first class. We won a lot of second phase balls after the break and that was a big factor in our success."