Three goals in the opening 20 minutes set the Blue Toon on their way to equalling their best ever score at Central Park.

There was one change to the side which had lost at Stenhousemuir with Josh Morris making his first league start, with Harvey Swann dropping to the bench.

Peterhead made a blistering start to the match and McGovern parried a Smith drive while McAllister saw a drive go just wide – all in the first 90 seconds!

The visitors then took the lead in three minutes when Brown nodded the ball into the path of Allan SMITH who nipped in front of Rumsby to shoot home from inside the six yard box,

McGovern blocked a close range shot from Smith with 18 minutes gone but within sixty seconds we were two down when SMITH got on the end of a McAllister free kick to slot home from close range.

Just three minutes later we went further behind when Willie GIBSON fired home a low anled shot from the left into the far corner of the Cowden net.

Twelve minutes from the break we had a good chance to pull a goal back when a Rutherford corner was parried by Fleming with the ball falling to Muirhead who shot over.

The keeper was called into action a few minutes later when a shot from Morris from the edge of the box was parried by the custodian.

Midway through the second half we had another chance to pull a goal back when a net shot from Ali Smith was cleared off the line by Stevenson.

At the other end McAllister sent a long range effort over while McGovern tipped another long range effort by Stevenson to safety.

Fleming then held a Mullen free kick just a minute before Scott BROWN completed the scoring with a low shot into the right hand corner from 15 yards after holding off two challenges by the Cowden defence.

TEAM: McGovern, McInally (Whitaker 46), Rutherford, Mullen, Rumsby, Syme, Buchanan, A Smith (Stirling 71),Morris, Miller & Muirhead (B Smith 57). Subs not used – McGurn, Denton, Connelly & Swann.

Booked: Buchanan (78).


PETERHEAD: Fleming, J Brown, Robertson, McIlduff, Ferry, S Brown, Stevenson, Lawrence, McAllister, Smith & Gibson. Subs not used – Hobday, Riley & Diboko.

Goals: Smith (3, 19), Gibson (22), S Brown (76)