SONS FALL TO COWDEN AFTER PENALTY STORM

Published 17 Nov 2009 09:00

Cowdenbeath 2 Dumbarton 1

DUMBARTON'S recent run of good form came to an end at Cowdenbeath as the home side triumphed by the odd goal in a close game decided in part by the refereeing decisions of whistler Iain Brines.

Andy Geggan for Chris Craig was the only change and it only took five minutes to pay dividends.

Geggan collected a loose ball in the centre circle, strode forward, evaded one challenge and curled the ball wide of David Hay from just outside the penalty area.

Ten minutes later a three-man move set up Ryan McStay, but he fired wide.

Cowdenbeath raced to the other end of the field and were awarded a disputed penalty.

Stevie Murray clearly played the ball, but John Armstrong went down and Brines pointed to the spot.

Paul McQuade took the kick and equalised despite Jan Vojacek getting a foot to the ball.

Shortly after, Craig Winter shot from 20 yards, but Vojacek pushed the ball over the bar.

From then until the interval Dumbarton dominated possession but could not find the killer touch.

Smith was then unlucky as he came close twice with headers from corners.

And then Ben Gordon headed over from a Murray corner whilst Scott Chaplain fired over from 25 yards.

As the interval approached a Geggan cross-cum-shot deceived Hay and struck the crossbar after good work from Ross O'Donoghue.

Dumbarton may have dominated the first- half possession, but Cowdenbeath dominated the second.

Three minutes into the half, a Kenny Adamson shot was pushed round the post by Vojacek.

The keeper was called into action again to save two shots from McQuade before spilling a shot from Gareth Wardlaw which Smith was on hand to clear.

Almost immediately after replacing Murray, Derek Carcary raced down the left and crossed low into the penalty area, but there were no takers.

Minutes later Chaplain set Carcary clear but he couldn't get power behind his shot and Hay saved comfortably.

With 10 minutes remaining, Vojacek parried a fierce Gareth Wardlaw effort and only a desperate tackle from O'Donoghue averted the danger.

Cowdenbeath took the lead in 82 minutes.

The ball was launched into the penalty area where Ben Gordon only partially cleared.

The defenders claimed Gordon had been pushed, but referee Brines waved play on.

The ball fell to Scott Linton, who crossed for McQuade to steer the ball beyond Vojacek.

Dumbarton almost equalised in the closing moments.

From a corner, a Roddy Hunter effort was kept out by Hay, but only to Michael Dunlop, who smashed the ball goalwards - only for Scott Linton to clear miraculously and the last chance had gone.

Jim Chapman lamented: "Decisions change matches and the decisions went against us today.

"We were excellent in the first half, but didn't play in the second.

"Credit to Cowdenbeath, they put us under pressure. There are ways of relieving pressure, but we didn't take them."

Dumbarton: Vojacek, O'Donoghue, Smith, Dunlop, Gordon, McStay, Chisholm, (McNiff 85), Chaplain, Hunter, Geggan, (Brannan 76), Murray (Carcary 66)

Subs not used: Clark, White

Cowdenbeath scorers: (McQuade 18 pen, 82).

Dumbarton scorers: (Geggan 5).

Referee: I Brines.

Crowd: 389.

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This article appeared in Dumbarton & Vale of Leven Reporter 17 Nov 09

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