Cowdenbeath 4 Broomhill 1

A GOOD second half performance helped Cowdenbeath pick up their first Lowland League victory since August against Broomhill last night.

Dougie Hill's side had picked up just two points from their last five league fixtures, including losing the last two, since beating Gala Fairydean Rovers 4-1 at Central Park on August 10.

They enjoyed further home comforts as they defeated their visitors by the same scoreline, thanks to a second period that saw the Blue Brazil hit three goals without reply.

With a few absentees back in action, Cowden created a lot of chances throughout, but some bad misses kept the visitors in the match until the closing minutes.

With Paul McLean operating in midfield, he scored a double to secure the win which moved the Blues up to nearer the mid-table area.

He was the most influential player throughout the evening, whilst there were also good contributions from substitute striker, Jake Sutherland and in midfield, Olly White, as well as full-backs Gregor Jordan and Sam Newman, who were very solid.

In the fourth minute, Cowden took the lead when the Broomhill defence was caught square and striker, Rhys Walker, ran through to clip the ball wide of goalkeeper Stephen Barr.

Minutes later, the Blues when close again when the ball broke to McLean, forcing Barr into a fine save, but Broomhill gradually came into the match, with Ruaridh Lynch, in the home goal, holding Brannan McDermott's header on the line in the 20th minute.

Hill's side threatened again in the 27th minute when Walker dispossessed a defender, drew Barr, and then fired his shot along the Broomhill line, but the ball went inches wide.

Three minutes from the interval, however, Broomhill levelled the game when Cameron Rowley found space 18 yards out and sent a spectacular curling right foot shot high into the net.

Cowden regrouped and, two minutes after the half-time break, restored their advantage when McLean latched on to a free-kick into the box, sending his header beyond Barr and into the net from eight yards.

On the hour mark, they then had a golden chance to get a third when substitutes Sutherland and Rory Haston combined to break into the Broomhill box but, with just the ‘keeper to beat, Haston blasted over from 12 yards.

The visitors came back and, in 71 minutes, Chris Mahon’s low drive from eight yards went only inches wide, but play was soon back up at the other end, with Sutherland setting up Haston only four yards out, but, again, he fired over the bar.

With five minutes to go at last Cowden got a third when Gregor Jordan was fouled in the visiting box at a corner, and Sutherland converted the spot-kick, before McLean added number four, when he headed home a Shay Burke corner, two minutes later to complete a fine evening's work.

Cowdenbeath: Lynch; Jordan, Newman, Denham, Kerr, McLean, Whyte, McDonald (Burke 84), Healy (Haston 56), Docherty (Trialist), Walker (Sutherland 58).

Subs not used: Hill, Blair (GK).

Broomhill: Barr; Rowley, Ferguson, Aitken (Kasa 30), Mahon, Lobban (Santos 56), Corrigan, Wright (Trialist 30), Fairlie, McDermott, O’Donnell.

Subs not used, Lind, Caffrey, Thomson, Collumbine (GK).

Referee: Jamie McCunnie.

Attendance: 145.