| Stephen Simmons last gasp header gave Raith victory with almost the last action of Saturday's game. John McGlynn seemed to know exactly how it was going to go with these words a couple of hours before the Fife Derby on Saturday. He said: "Cowdenbeath hit you on the counter-attack very quickly, and then get behind the ball when they do not have it. And at a small ground like Central Park, that can make things difficult as there is not a lot of space to exploit. So, it is a matter of breaking them down and that is the challenge we have. But we just need to keep knocking on the door and be lethal with our finishing." Raith Rovers fans would argue that when the door finally opened at Central Park it was so late that the Stock Cars were on their first lap of the evening meeting but three points is three points and it was mission accomplished for the travelling Kirkcaldy side. Now with the first quarter of the season gone the odds are high that a Kingdom side will replace a West Coast side in the SPL next May. Both Raith and Dunfermline (also winners at the weekend) are returning to form as we head towards the end of October. Cowdenbeath, as always when they play above their customary basement division position, seem to be on a tightrope walking between mid-table respectability and relegation zone following the opening series of fixtures. After a scoreless first half, Raith's Iain Davidson hit the crossbar three minutes after the interval. But it was Cowdenbeath who moved ahead, Colin Cameron firing home from just inside the penalty area on 79 minutes. It was that counter attack goal against the run of play that McGlynn had feared and warned his side about. John Baird levelled in the 88th minute and Simmons nodded home 2 minutes into added on time to keep Raith a point behind First Division leaders Dunfermline. Jimmy Nic refused to blame injuries or a tendency to park the Stock Car, if not the bus, in derby games so far this season. He said: "We simply ran out of steam in the end and that is something we have to guard against as the campaign goes on." That last gasp goal could be a turning point for the Blue Brazil this season. Next comes bottom of the table Morton at Central Park this weekend. A win for the home team and it's 5 wins and 5 losses in the league and Cowden heads remain above the water. A defeat takes them well away from their improving Fife rivals and the others who would stake a claim for the title. Will a good start become the familiar struggle by the time the 'Beath reach November ? It could well be the case unless the Ton are overturned. |
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