U19s v Cowdenbeath

The 19s got Cowdenbeath Week underway storming back from two goals down with two minutes remaining to grab a draw from the jaws of defeat.

COWDENBEATH 3 DUNFERMLINE 3

16 year old Fraser Moncrieff came into the side that won the previous weekend against Clyde, taking the place of hat-trick hero Jordan White. Cowdenbeath pulled in on loan 6`5" Steven Bennett back from Bellshill Athletic and included first team squad players Paul Byrne and Tom O`Brien.  This local derby at Beath High School on Sunday morning looked to be heading for defeat after Cowdenbeath had taken their chances and had probably been the better team throughout.  But the virtues of playing until the final whistle were demonstrated by the never say die Pars.

The hosts were denied as early as the sixth minute after Jack Nicholson`s burst down the left was cut back for Tom O`Brien but Ryan Goodfellow was able to turn the ball around his left hand post off his outstretched left boot. From the resultant corner Nicholson forced another good save out of Goodfellow and then the keeper saved O`Brien`s follow up from close range.

It was virtually Dunfermline`s first attack that brought about the opening goal in the ninth minute. The ball was switched from left to right from Steven Leslie through Aaron Scott to John MacDonald on the right. From the corner of the Cowden box the winger launched a shot that struck the base of the far post and SCHIAVONE was on hand to accept the pickings.

Five minutes later Moncrieff sent Schiavone down the left and his cross from the corner flag travelled over to MacDonald whose driven shot got blocked. Cowdenbeath then scored an equaliser from keeper Lee Wilson`s clearance. The ball bounced up off the astroturf over the defences` heads and Simon DOCHERTY slotted home from an angle on the right to restore the parity.

Midway through the first half referee Lorraine Clark saw nothing wrong with Milne`s nudge into the back of Moncrieff as he went for a crossed ball on the left side of the Cowdenbeath penalty area and next MacDonald prevented a Gill attempt from a Pyper cross with a timely tackle in the other box.

The first half was to finish all square but not after a hefty challenge by Blair McWhirter on Niicholson that might have given the Blue Brazil a good shooting chance from the edge of the box, saw advantage played and survived.

Half Time: Cowdenbeath 1 Dunfermline 1

Cowdenbeath started the second half with renewed pressure. Paul Byrne swung over a cross from the left that let former Dunfermline U16, Lewis Milne test Ryan Goodfellow. The keeper did well to parry the ball away round his left post but was saved by the crossbar when the home side attacked the corner.

The Pars best chance of restoring their early lead came in 57 minutes when a Schiavone ball in from the right for Moncrieff was headed just inches wide at the far post. Regrettably it was Cowdenbeath who were to take the lead just two minutes later. Steve Bennett dispossessed the Pars defence as they went to clear from a corner and the ball dropped for O`BRIEN to smash the ball past Goodfellow.

After two thwarted attempts by Dunfermline to get back in the game - a Schiavone shot past the advancing keeper that was cleared off the line by Pyper and then a Leslie shot that was spectacularly turned over the bar by Wilson - it looked all over as Cowdenbeath took a 3-1 lead in 80th minute. DOCHERTY persisted on the left beating off two defensive challenges before scoring from an acute angle.

Time was running out fast but in 89 minutes Shaun Byrne won the ball on the right and he despatched it up the wing for MacDonald to cut back for captain Aaron SCOTT to crash the ball passed the `Beath keeper.

McWhirter was yellow carded as the Pars frustrations grew and then in the second minute of added time, Scott sent over a free kick from the right midway into the opposition half. The ball was defended as all the Pars big men rushed in to try and get their heads on it and it was MACDONALD on the edge of the box that sent the ball soaring into the Cowdenbeath net. There was only time to restart before Lorraine Clark blew for full time and Dunfermline players and supporters left Beath High School with big smiles on their faces.