COWDEN-BEAT!
Mo Mecca
By Gary McKenzie
August 23 2003
Scottish Football League Division Three, Saturday 23 August, Links Park, Montrose. Montrose 1 (Michie (17)) Cowdenbeath 3 (Morris (18), Brown (52), Winter (84))
It's five and a half years since the Mo beat Cowdenbeath, but the game started brightly for the Mo. Scott Michie forced a fine save from the Cowden keeper after 16 minutes and a minute later he latched on to a through ball from Kerrigan to slot home for a fine goal.
The home support enjoyed around 60 seconds of joy as our defence went to sleep and Morris equalised for the Blue Brazil.
The game was develpng into a scrappy midfield slog, and Cowden were coping better by getting men behind the ball and breaking quickly.
Montrose replaced Thomson with Graeme Sharp at half-time.
The second half was one best forgotten, and indeed, I have forgotten quite how Brown scored after 52 minutes and, as Montrose finally started to show some committment and urgency and commit players forward, what Craig Winter's goal was like with six minutes to go.
Amongst all that Watt replaced Farnan whom the second half had passed by and Henderson replaced the tired-looking Michie.
Poor passing, no shape, lack of committment until the last 15 minutes and admittedly competent Cowdenbeath defending must surely give the board and the manager himself food for thought. Sections of the home support have long since decided that it is time for John Sheran to go, and more supporters will undoubtedly be joining that faction after today's display.
Another home game against Elgin looms next week. A win may win the manager some breathing space, but a defeat would increase the pressure on Sheran to go.
Teams
Montrose Butter, Donachie, Simpson, Conway, Ferguson, Webster, Gibson, Farnan, Thompson, Michie, Kerrigan. Subs: Sharp, Watt, Henderson, Stephen, A Trialist.
Cowdenbeath Carlin, Shand, Gilfillan, McKeown, McInally, Mowat, Mauchlen, Winter, Moffatt, Brown, Morris. Subs: Matheson, Gordon, Campbell, Buchanan, Fleming.
An alternative report can be found at the BBC Sport website