Archives | Dunfermline 5 Cowdenbeath 5

A memorable West Fife derby
Scottish Second Division
21st September 1957

Cowdenbeath travelled to East End Park to take on their old rivals in a Second Division fixture.

The crowd that assembled were treated to perhaps the most thrilling derby encounter that they had ever witnessed. The game began with some end to end exchanges but only 4 minutes had elapsed when Dunfermline took the lead. Samuel caught the Cowden defence out of position and crossed for Jimmy WATSON to head past Jack Kyle. Soon afterwards, George PEEBLES hit a cross from the wing which veered towards goal. Kyle got both hands to it but to his horror he allowed the ball to slip from his grasp into the net.

However, this 2 goal deficit was like a red rag to a bull in the effect it had on Cowden. John `Basher Murphy began to dominate in midfield and the eager Cowden frontline began to run the Pars defence ragged. Two minutes after conceding the second goal, Cowden pulled one back through Bobby GILFILLAN`s low drive into the comer of the net. Cowden now swarmed forward and Albert Craig cut in towards goal. He seemed all set to shoot but cutely slipped the ball to GILFILLAN who cooly tied the scores. 2-2

Dunfermline`s defence continued to undergo a pounding as Les Murray and `Basher Murphy commanded the midfield. It was Murphy who split the defence with a devastating through ball which allowed Albert CRAIG to give Cowden the lead.

The crowd by now was in uproar and Cowden were on the crest of a wave. However they were shocked when Dunfermline grabbed the softest of equalisers. Gerry McWILLIAM prodded the ball towards goal. Kyle had it covered easily but once again unaccountably failed to hold the ball which hit the post and trickled over the line. 3-3

Now Dunfermline raged into attack and McWILLIAM restored the Pars lead by nudging home a Watson header. Cowden were by no means crestfallen and in 43rd minute, after a bamboozling move, Albert CRAIG once again brought the scores level.
The referee`s whistle then sounded to end a wonderfully exciting first half with the score at 4 goals apiece.

The action didn`t let up on the resumption. In 50th minute, a flashing cross from Peebles found McWILLIAM. He stepped round Campbell and shot into the Cowden net from 4 yards. Tempers now began to fray and Basher Murphy was given a stern lecture by the referee. However, Murphy was unabashed and in 58th minute strode forward to take a free-kick on the edge of the Dunfermline penalty area. MURPHY crashed in a fierce drive which took a slight deflection off the defensive wall and flew into the roof of the net - 5-5!

The remaining half-hour was frenetic but no further scoring was registered. Cowdenbeath were on top for most of this period and came close to grabbing a winner in the dying seconds when Martin Mulhall slammed a drive against the Dunfermline crossbar. The games ended as a 5-5 draw and no-one present will ever forget this amazing game.