Cowdenbeath FC 1  Stranraer 2

 

There were a few changes to the side which had went down to Dunfermline in the League Cup. Pat Scullion, the only player left from the last time the sides met in April 2007, replaced the injured John Armstrong while Chris Kane returned to the starting line up along with manager Colin Nish, with the returning Robbie Buchanan making his second debut for us.

 

It took the visitors, sporting a luminous orange change kit, only three minutes to break the deadlock when Ryan THOMSON collected a Malcolm pass and slotted the ball past Andrews.

 

Soon after Milne sent a shot over the bar from the edge of the box while at the other end Milne had to be alert to block a Longworth effort with 17 minutes gone.

 

Spence then saw a shot deflect off Rumsby which started off a run of successive corners for which were handled by the visiting defence.

 

Thomson then tried his luck with a long range shot which went wide while McGuigan sent a shot over as the Blues looked for a second goal.

 

Five minutes from the break Nish flicked the ball into the path of Spence but his shot was blocked by Rumsby at the expense of another corner.

 

We started the second half looking the more brighter of the two sides and Buchanan sent a low just wide of target as we went in search of an equaliser.

 

Just on the the hour a pass from Milne found Spence but a timely block by a defender denied him a goal. However with 62 minutes gone he was brought down 20 yards out by Keennan who was duly booked.

 

Dean BRETT stepped up to take the resultant free kick which beat keeper Brennan.

 

With 15 minutes to go Hughes saw a 25 yard free kick whistle narrowly past the visiting goal while Thomson shot over from ten yards at the other end.

 

As the game wound down a draw was looking to be the likely outcome until a corner from Cairney was headed down and struck Donaldson's arm.

 

Referee Ross duly awarded a spot kick with Kane being booked for protesting at the award. Craig MALCOLM stepped up and fired the ball under the diving Andrews to give his side an opening day win.

 

Then as the game went into the fourth minute of injury time we were reduced to ten men for the second successive game when Hughes was sent off after an incident in the middle of the park with Keenan.

 

TEAM: Michael Andrews, Dean Brett, Mo Yaqub, Pat Scullion, Brad Donaldson, Chris Kane, Robbie Buchanan (Sam Orritt 82), Declan Hughes, Colin Nish (Luke Armstrong 86), Greig Spence & Lewis Milne (Craig Johnston 62). Subs not used - Jamie Sneddon, Kenny Adamson, Kyle Miller & Liam Callaghan.

 

Goal: Brett (62).

 

Bookings:  Scullion (81), Kane (89).

 

Sent off:  Hughes (90 +4).

 

STRANRAER: Conor Brennan, Scott Robertson, Dale Keenan, Craig Pettigrew, Scott Rumsby, Ryan Thomson, Steven Bell, Andy Stirling (Sam McCloskey 74), Jamie Longworth (Paul Cairney 69), Mark McGuigan & Craig Malcolm. Subs not used - Max Currie, Lee Mair, Chris Aitken & Trialist.

 

Goals: Thomson (3), Malcolm (pen 90).

 

Bookings: Malcolm (38), Keenan (61), Rumsby (74).

 

No gallery images are available for this match.