Cowdenbeath v Berwick. Victory is ours!

i went to pick up my dad and head off down the road for this one. It’s about a 30 minutes drive from my folks house so the easiest away game to get to. The rain had eased off and the sky was sunny. Not 30 minutes down the road it wasn’t! Rain sweeping in waves and gale force winds to add to the misery. We waited in the car for 10 minutes for the rain to stop and we made a break for it. We had an interesting time getting in. My dad is a consession so he went to the concession turnstile, I went to the regular one. I could see my dad through the ticket window at the other side. It was one booth with a window on either side. I paid and asked the girl to take the money for my dad. She said she couldn’t he was a consession and had to be paid at the consession turnstile...so I gave her the money to pass to my dad, who gave it back to pay for his ticket..... this seemed to satisfy her. We then bought some halftime draw tickets and then off for some tea. The tea was ok, my dad is a bovril man. The pies were awful. Not the worst thing I have had at a sporting event (the burger st the Fife Flyers ice arena still holds this title) but it wasn’t too pleasant. The pie was tepid on the outside with a cold middle, lovely. We found our “seats” and watched the rain sweep in.

The match report.

it was my job to write the match report for this game. my second one now, the first was the cup game against Motherwell at the start of the season.

Saturday, January 27th, 2018 SPFL 2 COWDENBEATH 1 BERWICK RANGERS 3

With last week’s home game postponed due to the weather it’s back on the road again for Berwick. New signings Ouzy See, Declan O’Kane, Jack Hamilton and Alex Petkov all featured in the starting lineup. With Captain Stevie Notman and Michael McKenna sitting this one out due to suspension.


Cowdenbeath also strengthened their squad during January, With 4 new signings, Aiden Malone, Ben Reilly, and David Cox all in the starting line up and Jordan Hornby starting on the bench.
Cowdenbeath started this game at the foot of the table having picked up only 9 points in 19 games, Berwick sitting in 7th having picked up 21 points in 19 games. It’s a game both teams wanted to win, Cowdenbeath desperately needing the points to lift themselves from the foot of the table and Berwick wanting to increase the gap from the bottom of the table.


The rain was intense and the wind set itself up to hamper play as it blustered around Central Park. Both teams struggling with the elements and the dugout taking it’s share as it blew over shortly before kickoff.


Berwick started the game brightly, In the fourth minute a good break down the right hand side saw Ouzy See have a good shot saved from the centre of the box. This resulted in three successive corners for Berwick but nothing was to come of them.
Berwick continued on the attack and a further shot from Stephen Thomson on the 9th minute was saved again by the Cowdenbeath keeper. David Syme for Cowdenbeath came close in the 17th minute with a header from the left hand side of the box. Berwick continued to press down the left hand side. The result of this producing an excellent cross by Gary Phillips into the box for Jack Hamilton to head home a very well worked goal on his debut for the club.


Berwick continued to push the attack and most of the game was played in midfield until another break for Berwick in the 37th minute saw another shot from Ouzy See saved by the Cowdenbeath keeper. The wind and the rain was still hampering play and Cowdenbeath had two further corners that resulted in nothing. Then in injury time of the first half Alex Petkov gave away a foul in the penalty area. Harvey Swann slotting home the penalty to bring Cowdenbeath level.


The second half started and it was the turn of Cowdenbeath to play into the wind and the rain. Berwick winning corners in the 48th minute and the 52nd minute as they pressed Cowdenbeath but both corners yielding no results. In the 40th minute Steven Thompson picked up a yellow card for a foul.
Then on the 54th minute Stephen Thomson let rip with a left footed shot from more than 30 yards away that flew in off the underside of the bar leaving the keeper with no chance to save it. Surely a contender for goal of the season.
Both teams continued to trade blows in midfield and both being hampered by the strong wind and the driving rain. In the 61st minute Cowdenbeath player Fraser Mullen was booked for a foul. Steven Thomson taking a shot from the free kick but put it over the bar.
Both teams continued to trade blows in the wet and blustery conditions then in the 76th minute Jamie Pyper picked up a yellow card for Cowdenbeath, Kieran Stewart for Berwick Rangers picking up a yellow card shortly afterwards in the 79th minute.
Then in the 82nd minute Stephen Thomson’s Cross found Ouzy See in the box who headed home from close range to make it 3-1 to Berwick. In injury time Berwick player Declan O’Kane had a shot from a direct free kick more than 35 yards out but it went high over the bar.
As the final whistle blew the Berwick fans who had been vocal throughout gave the players a standing ovation as they left the field of play.


Final Score Cowdenbeath 1 Berwick 3.


Berwick Rangers: McCrorie, Stewart, Fleming, Fairbairn, Phillips, Petkov, Thomson (Orru 90), O’Kane, Hamilton (Murrell 72), Lavery (Cook 86), See.
Referee:Kevin Graham
Attendance:332