Blue Brazil samba to success

Posted Sunday, May 16, 2010 by PA

Cowdenbeath completed their remarkable journey to the First Division at the expense of Brechin in a 3-0 win at Glebe Park.

A Gareth Wardlaw brace and Joseph Mbu header took The Blue Brazil into the First Division for the first time in almost 20 years following a goalless first leg.

Both sides made lively starts, Charlie King's powerful volley ricocheting off the top of the crossbar for Brechin and Paul McQuade slamming the ball against the upright for Cowden at the other end.

But it was the visitors who took the lead in the 17th minute.

Mbu glanced an inswinging Scott McBride corner towards goal and, despite the efforts of Richard Walker who tried in vain to keep the ball out at the far post, the ball ended up in the back of the net.

The Blue Brazil then doubled their advantage when Wardlaw showed a poacher's instinct to head home in the 25th minute.

Hedgemen goalkeeper David Scott could only parry McQuade's initial attempt into the striker's path and he showed good reactions to nod the ball over the line at the far post.

McQuade came within inches of scoring his side's third, but it was Wardlaw who made it 3-0 on the stroke of half-time, rising above the defence to power home a header after good work from Scott Linton down the left.

Scott was forced into action again soon after the interval, diverting a Mark Baxter drive around the post.

Brechin were struggling though with Cowden happy to sit on their three-goal lead and Rory McAllister firing into the side-netting after rounding David Hay was the best they could offer going forward.

Linton then brought a marvellous save out of Scott as he tried to squeeze the ball home from a tight angle, but the game had already been well won by that stage.