What happened?

Disappointed with the result after being two goals up - just got to wait for folk to get back up the road and report on the goings on.

just in from the match,not pretty to watch but good result for us today.

Looks like the bunnet has a few things to sort out in our squad...

DICK cambell is a lochgelly cowden fan in disguise

Can I guess Keddie and Dowie?

Right. Where do I start. I hope both sets of supporters agree it was a cracking game of football. That's the bottom line.
Next, and I also hope both sets of supporters agree, the officials were diabolical...BY FAR the worst I have ever witnessed, particularly against the blue brazil. The terrace side linesman must have had a bout of the skits, otherwise he was just being a plain and utter arsehole by constantly scratching his rectum, basically saying "get it up you lot". How these imposters get away with this I will never know.
The red card. The highlight of the referee's game. Come on, he was surely having a laugh. Ball is in the air to be won, Howatt fairly goes up to challenge as do two county players. Result? Red card. Definitely one of "those ones" that looked worse than it was.
Finally (I can't be arsed going over everything) but not least. I am proud to say I'm a Cowdenbeath fan after that. The fightback was astonishing and really, we SHOULD have taken all 3 points with Dalziel and McOnalogue missing sitters (keeper pulled off some fantastic saves today especially the one from Mconalogue) when we were 2 down. I'm sure Dickhead Campbell knows his side were lucky. The effort from every single player today was outstanding, and barring the 10 minute self-destruct spell we had, the heads never went down. Well done.

Over and out.

Edited to add: Ross county number 9 - GIRFUY! Fud.

Well done Cowden

Agree! Cowden were outstanding today with every man playing his heart out. Ross County are a good team but at the end of the day thanks to some good luck and the worst referee I have ever seen they must have felt relieved to come away with a draw.
Brian Welsh should really report the referee to the SFA. This guy today was a total numpty!
Anyhow, roll on Peterhead next week!

Glad to hear Bullock was in form - tend to think Carlos is probably right about our central defensive pairing though.

Seems we were rubbish and came away with a point all the same. Happy we're scoring goals at least, Barrowman is bang on form just now.

The thing is, yous played really well IMO. However, it was the killer ball you, or us for that matter could not play. I was impressed at the way BOTH teams tried to play football, and to be perfectly honest, it was a joy to watch instead of long balls here and there. The difference in fitness levels were clear to see however the heart we put into it pretty much evened things up. Pity about the inept officiating.

Can any action be taken against the "referee's"? As in both clubs put in a complaint or what? Or is it a case of "it's only a 2nd division match, who cares?"

From a winning position it's disappointing not to have closed the game down and gained three points. I would drop Keddie, move Golabek into the centre, drop Moore back, and take McKinlay in to play left wing. We certainly need to sort out our defence soon, as Elgin gave us alot of problems, the warnings were there to be seen.

We still got a point, so we can build on for next week. BUt what it did show was that there are no easy games in this league and we will need to have teh correct appetite and focus in every game if we want to win promotion.

You can make a complaint, but usually they come to nothing without clear evidence of the mistakes the referee has made.

Referee supervisors are regularly in attendance at 2nd Division matches. The theory that nobody cares about the standard of officiating in the lower leagues is ludicrous.

tony bullock the best keeper in the league someone said? fair enough he pulled off a wonder save from mconalogue but from the resulting corner he dropped the ball right at dalziel's feet. was also an cross in the first half that even i could catch and he flapped at it.

man of the match was surely cowden's keeper davie hay - the cat put bullock's premier league keeper skills to shame.

a good game though, county's second goal was a cracker, one of those ones that you cant help but applaud. what was the ross county's view of our sending off? i was on the terracing and seen nowt wrong with it, maybe a view from the stand was clearer. a moment of madness from the ref i felt.

after the football drought in the summer its good to see a decent game of football.

Cracking game of football today, with both teams committed to attack. Even the referee couldn't spoil it. He was one of these refs who has to be the centre of attention all the time. I lost count of the number of cards, but there wasn't a single dirty tackle in the whole game, with both teams playing football. The sending off was a joke.
Ross County are a decent side. When County went two up it wasn't a fair reflection on the even play, but the second goal from Adams was a contender for goal of the season. It just flew past Davie Hay, who had a great game. Tony Bullock made some fine saves at well, but he gave away our first goal. We never gave up, and Scott Dalziel's shot which came off the crossbar had Bullock well beaten. We could have won it in the end, but a draw was a fair result and the fans were well entertained.
Without our top three players, we played some great football and took the game to County. Chris Anton did well on his first start. The signing of Mick Galloway was ridiculed on this forum, but he's clealry got back his appetite for the game and was dominant in our midfield. John O'Neil rarely wasted a ball, and Steph McConalogue had some classy touches. He was unlucky not to have two goals.
Good to meet some of the Staggies, including three guys from Bolton who've given up on the Premiership and adopted Ross County as their team.

Decent game today - Ross County are a big, physical and fit side. It was always going to be a big ask for Cowden to compete with them.

Referee had a shocker - nothing new there for most observers of Scottish football, but where on earth do they dig these clowns up?

Both teams tried to play football on a very wet and fast pitch but as soon as they started to steal the referee's limelight, the whistle went, the cards came out and he tried to show that he was the star attraction again.

First goal came from an inexperienced Cowden defence not being able to physically match up to County, the second came straight after it and was due in my opinion to Mick Galloway falling asleep - great strike though it was.

Then (as a Dundee United fan - I've seen this before) Tony Bullock made a game of it. He made a total hash of a corner and flogged a goal, then not to be contented with that - didn't look too clever at the second either.

A review of the referee - 1st minute the Ross County No 9 did a forearm smash on the goalkeeper - talked to when it was an obvious booking. Galloway & Scullion were both booked for yapping at the referee, Welshie got sent to the stand for a chat with the linesman after the sending off. It appears that it is acceptable to use excessive physical force in the game - I don't want it to be a non-contact sport - but woe betide anyone who dares question the referee.

As for the sending off - the ref got it totally wrong, players going for the ball - if anything Golabek was at fault and he knew it so he hit the deck and stayed there. He conned the ref into thinking he had been nailed and Howat got a straight red - no input from the stand side linesman. golabek used his experience but was simply cheating. Not happy with this, he hit the deck a short time later and stayed down looking for his mate the ref to dish out another unmerited card.

In short - draw was a fair result, County will be more disappointed than Cowden but the game was turned into a farce by a referee who wanted to be the centre of attention.

I'd expect County to be there or there abouts when the trophies get handed out at the end of the season but Cowden gave a good account of themselves.

On another point...how good is our pitch looking this season! Big to the groundstaff - even with all that rain, it never cut up whatsoever!

Good game spoilt by a bad referee! not a bad tackle in the game, stalemate first half but what a second! Both teams gave their all and in the end cowden where unlucky not to come away with a win! Glad to see despite a couple of predictable shouts at 2-0 the majority fans got behind a manager who showed his passion for the club today the boys where outstanding! Even the Ross County players and managers were appalled by Andy Howats sending off its about time referees in Scotland are accountable!

Who was the referee?

Chris Boyle. God I hope we don't get him again anytime soon, bring back wee Hardie

Well played Cowden - with 3 key defenders missing that was a fine result. Howat's sending off a farce. Everyone in the ground thought foul was by Golabek. The Ross County team ran back towards their own box as they thought it was against them. Dick Campbell was shaking his head in amazement when he saw Howat was the man sent off! Barrowman too in 1st minute blatant booking but ref took no action - later he was booked!

Farcical refereeing aside, I thoroughly enjoyed the game with both sides trying to play a passing game. Well impressed by our comeback. The heads could easily have gone down. With our first choice team available I think we are capable of competing with any team in the league. I think Ross County will be title contenders although I fancy their keeper to leak a few goals. He made a couple of decent saves, including a fantastic one in the second half, but his handling was abysmal.

I agree with your negative opinion of Chris Boyle, but you think Colin Hardie's any better?

We've never had a decent game with Hardie in charge

I am a believer in the saying that 'you win as a team and lose as a team' and as such pointing the finger at individuals can be unfair.However a certain viewpoint does seem apparent in the county support that defensive errors are costing us.

With time still yet for us to bring players in then I think that those in charge are aware of any shortcomings in the team and will address those.
Fortunately the goals are going in and for once we seem to have for the first time in a few seasons a player who will possibly get 15+ goals in the league for us.No one has come close really to achieving that since Derek Adams so its long overdue.

I would also like to say its good to hear complimentary comments from supporters of the team we played.Its easy to snipe away at the opposition just for the sake of it but that does not seem to have been the case today.I have said it before but in the lower leagues you find far more friendly fans from opposing sides than you do when you are in the 'top' league.Long may it continue.

Steve Hislop, Alex Bone and Neil Tarrant have all scored more than 15 goals a season since Derek Adams left. Davie Winters was just shy of that mark finishing a couple of season on 13.

I realise that Carlos but without wishing to sound picky I was referring to the league.Its the league that matters and if Andy can achieve that then we will go a long way to achieving a play off or title winning side if players like Petrie/Adams/Shields can chip in with 6 or 7 each and other scoring the odd goal as well.

Maybe Hislop/Bone/Tarrent did score that number in the league but its Adams I seem to recall doing it.
Correct me if I am wrong.
Winters was the last person I seem to recall scoring a hat trick for us and that was a few seasons ago now in the challenge cup semi final v Forfar.Shows how scarce goals are for us if I can remember that!.

were you the guy that was on at him for about 10minutes after that we jab at the keeper barrowman did? i was in stitches as he was giving him abuse all game with every 2nd word a swear.



bullocks fault for the first goal definatly. he made two good saves but apart from that he wasnt on form really.

rankin scored a hat-trick 2 years ago in a 3-0 home win against dundee in the league. thats the most recent one i think.

Did he?.That one escapes me,I simply do not recall it.

yeh im sure he did, carlos is online so will confirm?

edited to add, 1000th post

Cracking game today - was worried at 4:15 that the afternoon was going to prove to be a dissapointment but boy oh boy did I perk up by full time! Obviously very proud of the lads and the comeback - other teams would have buckled but today we fought back as a team.

Not a red card in a million years - the BBC website says it was a red card for dissent which I find highly unlikely cause Howat thought he had gotten the free kick. The ref was conned by the cheat Golabek. Thats all that can be said about the matter in my opinion.


Fair play to County - they play to their strength but their defence looks a bit ropey. They will be up there at the end of the season but if their defence plays like it did today then it could prove to be their downfall.

Welsh was sent to the stand for kicking the physios bag. Welsh I hope has shut his critics up - people have said he doesnt show passion but today I saw a man who quite clearly is determined to make Cowden a success.


Keep up the good work Cowden

Staggy4life has stated our last hat trick and that was John Rankin against Dundee.

Neil Tarrant scored 24 goals in season 98/99 seventeen of which were in the league.

Steven Hislop scored 17 league goals in the 01/02 season.

Alex Bone scored 18 goals of which 15 were in the league in the 00/01 season.

Just because you don't recall it doesn't mean it didn't happen!

I salute you!,not sure where you get your stats from Carlos as such short notice but I am happy to be corrected and happy to be proved wrong.

Not long back in from the game.. That was some rain today... all day and the whole way back up the road.

As for the game. County threw away two points.. or probably more accuretly Tony Bullock threw away the points !

The first half was fairly even, neither keeper having a lot to do, I think both teams struggled to get to grips with the wet conditions. Cowden came close a couple of times, and Alex Keddie hit the bal with a header late on in the half.

County stormed the start of the second half and quickly went in from, Barrowman hammering in the ball from about eight yards out, it followed a corner to the near post which Petrie headed on. Barrowman was booked for his celebration as he signalled to the Cowden fans on the terrace.

County's second five minutes later was superb. Petrie played the ball into Barrowman, who in turn laid it off for Adams who had acres of room on the edge of the box, he picked his spot and curled it into the top right corner of the net. The keeper had no chance.. It is probably an early candidate for goal of the season.

Instead of County protecting the two goal lead they went for more goals, and Cowdenbeath looked quite useful on the counter attack. Bullock made a great save from McConologue, but tBullock flapped at the resulting corner and basically dropped it onto the toe of Dalziel. Although the defender on the back post could have done more to clear the line too.

The Cowden got a second, a gain a cross from the right to the back post. Missed by Bullock and a bit of scramble on the goal line saw the ball prodded in.

In between this Cowdenbeath had smacked the cross bar after bullock came from his line and missed the ball, Keddie did well is stalling the player letting other defenders get back to cover the line.

As for the red card, I think the players was unlucky. I thought it was a 50/50 ball and both players went in committed. At first the referee gave the free kick towards Cowdenbeath and at that point I though Golabek was going to be sent off (he was already booked), then the referee showed the red card to the Cowden player and changed his mind with the direction of the free kick. Quite bizzare.

The Cwdenbeath manager was a disgrace though all game, and after his touch line antics had to walk, he had been spoken to earlier by the referee too.

Cowdenbeath will take points off teams this year, thats for sure. But I still think it's two points dropped today.

A perfect hat-trick it was too..

Left, right, header !

The standard of officiating today was truly diabolical and I trust there was indeed an Assessor present. Despite the weather and the 'Look at me I'm in charge attitude' of Mr Boyle both teams played some attractive football, very different from the hump it up the park tactics adopted by Berwick and Dumbarton. In the end, I had good reason for pride in the Blue Brazil today as they turned around a two goal deficit and could indeed have won a pulsating match. We certainly have no reason to fear any of the other teams in the division. I do hate to piss on Silver's parade, but I was disappointed with the first minute forearm smash by Barrowman on Dougie Hay which left the goalkeeper needing some prolonged attention. Now THAT did merit a booking at the least. Also I thought Golabeck's dramatics which lead to the dismissals of Andy Howat and Brian Welch was blatant cheating - the ref was only too easy to con. Unnecessary and bad for County's reputation.

Neither have we its was a tounge in cheek comment.

I agree with most of this post - I went to the game expecting a hammering what with us being weak in defence.

The ref was a joke today and quite understandably Welsh got pi**ed off with the ref. Yes he probably deserved to be sent to the stand but I find it hard to label him as a disgrace! The worst thing he done was kick a bag when the ref wrongly sent off one of our players as we were pushing for a winner!

That is it.


BRING BACK SAMMY






*only kidding*

All he did at that point was kick the pile of water bottles. But he had been spoken to by the referee prior to that, and several times the standside linesman had words with him.

I know most of the times the linesman spoke to him, was to get him away from the touchline, as the linesman couldn't see if the ball was in or out. And although I couldn't quite hear what his reponse was, I dodn;t think it was very complementary

[quote name='thejailender' date='Aug 11 2007, 21:57' post='1764009']
The Cwdenbeath manager was a disgrace though all game, and after his touch line antics had to walk, he had been spoken to earlier by the referee too.

Cowdenbeath will take points off teams this year, thats for sure. But I still think it's two points dropped today.
[/quote
I don't think Welsh was a disgrace when you look at the dreadful reffing decisions he ha. d to endure - Barrowman not booked in 1st minute - would have been off later. Golabek not sent off - instead Howat is! Cowden players routinely booked for dissent - County players give away many more fouls with much less yellow action. We did well today with 3 of our key defenders out skipper Baxter, Dougie Hill and Davie Armstrong

you been drinking?

As far as Steven's concerned, we've slipped up, so the title's all but in the bag for Rovers now

The Bullock comment I made earlier was based on a Cowden fans analysis - looks like I was a bit too quick to get in there! Could do without gifting Dundee free goals in midweek...

Great result yesterday, I was a bit worried that a full season like the back end of last might see us relegated, but I reckon 6th or 7th might be realistic. Promotion next year!

The defence is ropey but that's no fault of Golabek or Buff. DC will surely have to try something different in the centre-back positions, Webb is a possiblity but he's almost certainly trying to get at least one centre-back.

Sounded like conditions were poor but we still should have sealed a 2-0 victory against a part-time team. However, it's good to see Barrowman score and we remain undefeated.

I throughly enjoyed the game yesterday and thought that some nice football was played despite the weather.

Dissapointed we let a 2 goal lead go and as already mention the officals were awful.

Not at all



Oh hardly I just think they done well to come down from 2 goals to get a draw against a good County team and this season every point will be vital so could well tell at the end of the season!

good game on saturday. the lads worked very hard for that point. Ref was shocking so say no more on that. i have to disagree with kierkegard a little though. I think john o neill has not shown us anything near his potential yet. He is due is a big game quick. He has the ability to change the game in one or two passes but so far i dont think he has created a goal for us? Maybe he is still needing a little more fitness but for this calibre of player i was expecting a bit more.

Also for steph mconologue i think he just needs a goal to get himself started had 2 really good efforts on saturday that looked destined both to go in. I think he has been mightily unlucky so far.

In regards to welshy i think everyone knows im not his biggest fan. But at 1-0 down after 5 minutes of the 2nd half (after having a decent first half and competing well) 3 or 4 fans starting shouting at welshy saying he was a p***k and he should get the team sorted - i really dont know if these fans know anything about football. It seems there are 4 or 5 fans just waiting for a chance to shout at welshy if only these fans were big enough to give him praise after he made the subs and changed the formation to get us the point - well done welshy!!!! lets get off the guys back ffs. Especially as its a long season and we will undoubtedly have some bad results along the way.

mone the cowden

Regarding the sending off, i think it was defintely dissent, it was a 50-50 ball and Golly did seem to end up worse but the ref gave the foul and then after a discussion with the player he then pulled him in and red carded him so it was obviously something he said.

What a great fight back on Saturday. I think most Cowden fans would have settled for the draw before the game due to the fact we had three 1st team defenders out. At 2-0 a draw was almost unthinkable. Both teams could have won it, I had visions of the ref playing until County scored a winner. The least said about him the better.

Both teams had chances, County's 2nd goal was a cracker, the started the second half very well, playing some nice football in very wet conditions, so under the circumstances a draw was probably a better result for us.

It really now is Welshy's team and in my opinion he's build at team that is capable of mid table perhaps pushing for the last play-off position.
Hopefully the fans will lay off him, he should be judged at the end of this season at the earliest.
I must admit I was convinced last season with his appointment, but he had a very hard act to follow after the success of Mixu. We heard rumours of un-rest in the dressing room and Garry Smith then fans favourite Innes Ritchie left.
We played excellent away at Brechin (in the cup), Ayr and Stranraer but we also had a few poor performances.

Players like Hill, Baxter, Clarke and Hay have all resigned for him, so it looks like they are all behind him. The 2 Hearts signings will prove to be a good piece of business IMO, plus Galloway, O'Neill and McConalogue will all come good, so it's looking a lot brighter.

It was tremendous on Sat seeing us fight back instead of buckling at 2-0 - long may this continue.

PS well done Morton