IT WAS honours even at Central Park as a tame Second Division play-off final first leg only sprang to life in the closing minutes with two red cards.
First, Chris McLeod of Stenhousemuir departed for two yellows, before he was joined by Cowdenbeath's Darren McGregor for a strong challenge on substitute Iain Thomson.
After a night full of endeavour yet short of entertainment, it was a somewhat u
nforeseen ending. Danny Lennon's hosts, the one-time runaway Third Division leaders, remained unbeaten at home since November but it's Stenhousemuir who will fancy their chances in Saturday's return leg at Ochilview.
The early action offered grounds for optimism as Iain Diack drove at David Hay, before John Gemmell replied, forcing Scott Bennett to scramble round his post. But the evenly-matched adversaries soon began to cancel each other out.
Gemmell and Jay Stein struck weak free-kicks, with the visitors replying when Scott Dalziel couldn't get enough on a close-range header. Paul McQuade should have done better for the hosts on 37 minutes, blazing over in space on the right.
If the rainbow that emerged near half-time offered some colour to proceedings, little illumination was evident on the park. Frequent, hopeful high balls became the norm.
It was 59 minutes before a genuine chance emerged, Dalziel breaking clear only to be denied by Hay as he tried to slide his shot under him.
John Coughlin's visitors had won three of the four previous meetings and began to gain a territorial foothold, with Alan Reid striking a dipping volley over. But Cowdenbeath ended on the front foot, Jay Shields whistling a 30-yarder just past as the breakthrough remained elusive.
Cowdenbeath: Hay, Baxter, McGregor, Armstrong, Linton, Gemmell, Ramsay, Shields, Stein (Ferguson 67), Dempster, McQuade (Robertson 73). Subs Not Used: Jackson, Mbu, Tomana. Sent Off: McGregor (88). Booked: Gemmell.
Stenhousemuir: Bennett, Lyle, Thom, Smith, Reid, Brazil (Tyrrell 86), McLeod, Molloy (Iain Thomson 69), Motion, Dalziel, Diack (Brand 83). Subs Not Used: Renton, Love. Sent Off: McLeod (82). Booked: McLeod, Molloy.
Referee: A Muir. Attendance: 775.
The full article contains 356 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
