Sloppy defending costs Spiders
Queen's Park 2 Berwick Rangers 3
Queen's Park: McGeown, McGinn, Douglas, Little, Gallagher, Stewart, McBride, Henry, Daly, Quinn, Murray. Subs: Brough, Capuano, Watt, C Hamilton, P Hamilton (gk).<br /> |
The marvellous midweek 3-0 victory over second-top East Stirling was achieved with a very young, much-changed side. It also was achieved without top scorer Martin McBride and on-loan Partick stopper Ricky Little. They are both back from suspension and available today. Does the manager bring them back against Berwick? The answer was yes. Little replaced Jamie Brough and McBride took over in midfield from Giuseppe Capuano.
And Jack Henry, who started for the first time this season at Shire and delighted coach and fans with his energy and spirit, was rewarded with another start.
And keeper Mark McGeown, who tweaked his hamstring on Tuesday night, was fit to start. So, right team choice or not? Only a win will get the Queen's Park coach off that particular hook. With just 12 games left the Hoops now have to sustain that Shire form and kick-on against Berwick. The Wee Rangers currently hold the fourth and last play-off spot, three points ahead of Queen's and with a better goals difference.
So you don't have to consult your calculator to see a win is vital for Queen's.
Berwick have been on the slide lately, losing five of the last six, but long-suffering Queen's fans know better than to read anything into stats.
Our rivals also have games in hand, but this is one time to believe the mantra that it's always better to have the points in the bag.
Mark Peat was back in goal for Berwick, full-back Steve Notman had recovered from a knock and striker Alan Brazil made his first start of 2010.
It was a nice day, calm and clear and the park looked receptive to the Queen's style of getting it down and passing.
Henry fell foul of referee McDonald in the second minute - after he had been twice fouled and reacted.
So it was no surprise when two minutes later Henry was booked for a foul.
The midweek result and performance was responsible for the air of expectation in the stands and Queen's didn't disappoint with the opening goal.
Excellent play down the left involving McBride, Henry and Douglas won a corner in 10 minutes. McBride swung it in, Little nodded it on, and there was Henry from eight yards rising alone to head over Peat and into the net.
A great start for Queen's - and a busy start for young Henry, scoring his first-ever Hampden league goal!
It was a case of consolidating after that for Queen's. We have too often been guilty of losing concentration after going ahead, and conceding a quick equaliser, but in all honesty there was little in the way of a Berwick backlash.
Queen's continued to play the game mostly in their opponents' half and the target now was another pay-off for their possession.
Berwick's contribution to Homer's notes was a corner, conceded by young Gallacher in 23 minutes, which was miskicked and run clear by the enthusiastic Henry, and a shot under pressure from Gray that sailed harmlessly over the bar.
And Gallacher showed his quality with an excellent tackle to dispossess Ewart as he tried to burst clear down the right.
Daly showed lovely skill with a dragback that completely deceived Shields and then Gallacher was booked for his first foul in 28 minutes and Callaghan sent the free kick just wide.
Berwick were getting more of the ball now and McGinn had a good block to keep out a Gray shot.
Only a fine save by Peat stopped Queen's scoring a second in 33 minutes.
The build-up matched the keeper's stop, Quinn putting McGinn clear for a cross that perfectly picked out Daly, who sent in a header which saw Peat rise to guide over the bar. Good stuff.
Ewart was booked for hauling back Murray as the Spider neatly turned him to get on a Douglas pass but Peat comfortably collected the free kick.
We had a spot of pinball in the Spiders defence as we struggled to clear bread and butter crosses, but as Gulliver observed you had to remember the age and inexperience of this Spiders defence.
McLaren was booked for a foul on Douglas two minutes from the end of a half which ended in torment for Queen's as they conceded an equaliser.
Little had conceded a corner on our left. When the ball came over keeper McGeown rose to punch it out but only made the edge of the box. Gair headed it back towards goal and Gray rose at our right-hand post to head it over the line.
A terrible time to concede and a poor goal to lose. Berwick had come more into the game without threatening, and now Queen's had to do it all again.
Half-time: Queen's Park 1 Berwick Rangers 1
Shields was booked for a foul on McBride as the second half started in frantic fashion. It was kick and rush and not what was needed for Queen's
It suited Berwick, though, and McGinn was the next name in the book for a foul on Brazil.
That brought a free kick from 20 yards which Callaghan slammed off the Queen's wall and away for a corner.
Gardner Speirs made a change in 62 minutes, Chris Hamilton replacing Henry, who hasn't had much game time this season.
And Hamilton almost put Queen's ahead. Quinn played a lovely pass inside two defenders to send Murray to the byeline and his pass across the face of goal was just missed by the sliding Hamilton.
But there was more grief for Queen's in 66 minutes when Berwick scored with almost their first real attack of the half.
It was another bad goal from a defensive point of view. McLaren's cross from the right looked harmless but Little took a swing and missed it and then McGinn slipped as he tried to clear it at the far post.
The youngster actually looked like he handled it on the deck but it didn't matter as Gray, the only Berwick man in the box, couldn't believe his luck as the ball fell at his feet, he stepped past the grounded McGinn, and drove the ball into the net.
That was a hammer blow for Queen's, who had failed to reach the heights of Shire in midweek. In fact, they were poor.
Watt replaced Stewart as the coach loaded the front line and Gair had to divert a Hamilton cross over his own bar as Queen's tried to hit back.
Murray was booked for diving in 76 minutes which neatly summed up the Spiders' day so far.
Douglas headed over from a Murray corner and then Queen's dramatically grabbed an equaliser.
It was the wee men, Murray and Watt, who linked up down the left.
Watt provided the finishing touch on the end of the pass, a jinking run into the box taking him past Berwick defenders who were reluctant to tackle the wee man in full flight, and he just kept on going before poking a shot past the keeper and in at the far post.
A lifeline for Queen's, who had been struggling to make an impact.
But we didn't stay afloat for long as Berwick took the lead again in 85 minutes.
It's becoming repetitive, but it was more poor defending. Gallacher sold himself in a challenge as the ball went through his legs as McLaren went past him into the box. The winger had all the time in the world - do I shoot or do I cross? - and finally picked out sub Greenhill at the far post and he rifled a shot into the roof of the net.
Depressing or what?
And it got worse when McGinn picked up his second yellow for a very soft foul and was sent off.
That was after Shields, already booked, had booted the ball away without penalty. Go figure.
So a day that had started so brightly for Queen's failed to live up to expectations as we again failed to deliver. Keep the faith!
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See you all
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SFL Div 3 |
P |
Pts |
| Livingston | 36 | 78 |
| Forfar Athletic | 36 | 63 |
| East Stirling | 36 | 61 |
| QUEEN'S PARK | 36 | 51 |
| Albion Rovers | 36 | 50 |
| Berwick Rangers | 36 | 50 |
| Stranraer | 36 | 47 |
| Annan Athletic | 36 | 43 |
| Elgin City | 36 | 34 |
| Montrose | 36 | 24 |