COWDEN CUP MEMORIES

 By Fraser Clyne

 I was only 10 but vividly recall travelling to Tannadice Park in Dundee for the Scottish Cup second replay with Cowdenbeath on a cold Monday evening in late  January, 1966. I had also been at the first match at Gayfield just nine days earlier when the Lichties seemed to be coasting to victory thanks to a 12^th minute goal from John Wilkie and a Jimmy Jack strike early in the second half. But, much to the frustration of most of the shivering Gayfield crowd of 1,936, the Fifers rallied with a 54^th minute Tom Clark goal and an equaliser from Andy Miller with just seven minutes remaining. The teams lined up again for the midweek replay at Central Park, and once again Arbroath edged in front, Jimmy Cant netting after 19 minutes. But the home side refused to give in and with two minutes left to play Clark again stole in to level the scores. A third game was arranged at neutral Tannadice and this time an amazing crowd of more than 5,000 turned up to see the tie settled. The Lichties seemed to be coasting with Frank Sandeman and Pat Henderson putting the Maroons two ahead before the interval. But the now almost predictable second half Arbroath slump occurred and Cowden roared back to life, Clark yet again pulling one back in the 71^st minute then Roger Sugden equalising three minutes later to take the game into extra time. The sucker punch came in the unlucky 13^th minute of the extra period when Jim Menzies put the Fifers ahead for the first time in the tie. His goal proved to be decisive and the Lichties tumbled out of the Cup.

There was a more favourable outcome, however, when the sides first met on Scottish Cup duty. Arbroath’s players could have forgiven for feeling a little fearful when they travelled to Central Park for a Scottish Cup tie in February 1952. Just two months earlier the Lichties were trounced 8-1 by the Fifers in a Division Two match and the Gayfield side hadn’t won away from home all season. Few could, therefore, have predicted the outcome.  Cowdenbeath, as expected, applied most of the pressure, but Arbroath’s counter-attacking tactics paid off handsomely and the visitors ended the day with a 4-1 victory. Even the fans could claim to have assisted the victory as the players were wearing new rubber-soled boots bought for them by the Supporter’s Club and the footwear proved ideal in the treacherous conditions. Hugh Gallacher grabbed the headlines with a fine hat-trick while Bill Rennet scored the other, but Jimmy Dorward also played well in goal to keep the home side at bay.

Arbroath were drawn against Rangers in the next round but lost 2-0 in a match which attracted the Lichties record home crowd of 13, 510

The only other Scottish Cup meeting between the sides was in season 1980-81 when a goal from Dave Young earned Arbroath a 1-1 draw at Gayfield. The Fifers demolished the Lichties in the replay at Central Park, winning 4-0.