Cowdenbeath still clear despite loss

econd-bottom Albion Rovers boosted their hopes of avoiding relegation by beating leaders Cowdenbeath 1-0 at Cliftonhill.

The Coatbridge side looked down and out in bottom place a fortnight ago, but a win over Stenhousemuir last Saturday gave them fresh hope and they now sit a point behind third-bottom Forfar after beating the Central Park side.

On-loan Rangers striker Jack Werndly scored the game’s only goal after seven minutes before Rovers had to withstand some second-half pressure to make sure of their surprise victory. Albion manager Paul Martin said: “We were really low after losing a last-minute goal at Brechin a fortnight ago but we have rallied. It was a battling performance as they really pressed us back in the second half but to defeat Stenhousemuir and Cowdenbeath is good going.”

Cowdenbeath manager Colin Cameron said: “We didn’t do enough to win.”

The defeat was not too damaging for the Blue Brazil as second-bottom Arbroath crashed 3-2 at home to Brechin City, leaving the leaders seven points clear.

Rory McKenzie and Paul McManus had Brechin two ahead after 14 minutes, but a penalty in each half from Steven Doris levelled the scores. McManus popped up with the winner before Arbroath’s Keith Gibson was sent off for stamping. Third-placed Dumbarton arrested their recent slump with a 1-0 home win over Forfar as Loons goalkeeper Greg Patterson pawed a Scott Agnew corner into his own net.

The battle for fourth place is hotting up, with three teams now locked together on points. East Fife and Stenhousemuir remain level after a 1-1 draw at Bayview. Ryan Wallace put the hosts in front before Brown Ferguson replied with a late penalty after Scott Durie had handled. Home defender David White was sent off near the end.

Airdrie capitalised on the Bayview draw by moving alongside the Fifers and the Warriors as they made it four clean-sheet wins in a row with a 2-0 success at Stirling. Ryan Donnelly scored both to leave Albion four points adrift at the bottom.