Broxburn Athletic 4 Cowdenbeath 0

COWDENBEATH suffered another tough away day on Saturday as Broxburn Athletic inflicted a second successive defeat on the road, writes Andy Mullen.

Dougie Hill's injury-hit side lost two goals either side of half-time as they were beaten for a fourth time in nine Lowland League outings, leaving them sitting on just seven points with a quarter of the campaign gone, and just four clear of bottom side, East Stirlingshire.

The Blue Brazil's team selection was hampered by player availability, with influential captain, Robbie McNab, the latest to miss out on the sidelines.

Matty McDonald did make a return to the side, however, and, despite the final outcome, it was the visitors who looked to be the more likely to open the scoring in the early stages of the game.

A long-range free-kick from Jamie Docherty was held by Broxburn keeper, Bob Watt, in the 13th minute, but five minutes later, Cowden's injury woes continued when Danny Swanson had to be replaced by Rhys Walker.

Within seconds, the substitute latched on to a long ball from McDonald, but his shot was blocked by the advancing Watt.

He then saved a long-range effort from Docherty, while a Walker shot drifted over the bar, before, perhaps against the run of play, Broxburn took the lead.

Just shy of the half-hour mark, former Kelty Hearts man, Errol Douglas, fired home his 14th league and cup goal of the season with a low shot from 18 yards.

Things then got worse for Cowden two minutes from the break when home captain, Nick Locke, got on the end of an Andy Rodden free-kick to slot home a second goal.

After a bad end to the first half, things didn’t get much better for Hill’s side at the start of the second, with two goals in a three-minute spell killing off any hopes of a comeback.

Two minutes after the restart, Jonathan Page got on the end of a Scott McCrory-Irving corner to head home, and, three minutes later, the provider turned goalscorer when he cannoned a shot from outside the box in off the underside of the crossbar, completing a disappointing afternoon for the travelling support.

Broxburn Athletic: Watt; Rodden, G Page, J Page, Bell, Wardell (Kagni-Soukpe 83), Jones (Mwangi 79), Douglas (Downie 83), Turner, McCrory-Irving, Locke (Thomson 70).

Subs not used: Pettigrew, Russell, Morris.

Cowdenbeath: Lynch; Dunsmore, Newman, Jordan, McLean, McDonald, Whyte, Burke (Fusco 61), Healy, Swanson (Walker 13), Docherty (Denham 49).

Subs not used: Blair, Haston, Sutherland, Kerr.

Referee: Cameron Stirling.