In the first half, visitors Albion Rovers certainly had their chances to take the lead. As early as the second minute Cowdenbeath keeper David Hay was forced into a save from a Stephen Donachy shot from the edge of the box. Two minutes later Donachy set up team-mate Scott Chaplain, but his shot was also well saved by Hay.
The game really had started in a torrent as Cowdenbeath then came close twice in the first 10 minutes.
First Andy Jackson's shot was well saved, then Markus Paatelainen had a volley which fizzed wide
Both sides looked capable of scoring, and Rovers came agonisingly close in the 23rd minute as a low Stephen Reid cross was hammered against his own bar by John Ward before Scott Friel also then fired the rebound against the bar.
The deadlock was broken, though, in the 33rd minute as Paatelainen diverted a dangerous Kevin McBride free-kick into the net for his fifth goal of the season.
Early in the second half Albion came back. They capitalised on terrible indecisions in the home defence to equalise as Stephen Donachy made no mistake in rolling the ball into an empty net from 15 yards in the 51st minute.
In the 66th minute Paatelainen had an excellent chance to put his side into the lead after Liam Buchanan was brought down for a penalty. Unfortunately for the Finnish midfielder, Albion's number one Jamie Ewings saved his spot-kick brilliantly.
The home fans didn't have to wait long for their high-flyers to take the lead, however, as Buchanan headed home what proved to be the winner from Marc Millar's resultant corner.