Scottish League Division 3
	Queen's Park	0
	Berwick Rangers	2
	Haynes, Greenhill
Saturday, January 13, 2007

A belated Happy New Year from Homer, and let's hope it's a goodie, on and off the park. It didn't start too well at beautiful downtown Cliftonhill, where we should have won, but it has been ever thus with the Glorious Hoops.
But if ever there was the opportunity for Queen's to prove the old adage that they liked a challenge, then this was the one.

We were still missing vital experience at the heart of our defence, and have found it hard to score goals.

Berwick, on the other hand, have won seven league games on the bounce. We beat them last time we met at Hampden in October, and they lost to Dumbarton the following week. Since then, they haven't failed to pick up full points from any league outing.

That's what Homer calls a challenge. But over the years the Spiders have relished rising to such tasks, could they do so again?

The return of Trouten and Paton after suspension, and Tony Quinn's remarkable recovery from his knee injury, meant the boss had to get the thinking cap on for his selection.

Many folk, Homer included, have been mightily impressed with young Cairney since he stepped up to the plate. There was a feeling that it would be harsh if he was left out to make way for the incoming bad boys, but we all know that football can be a cruel game.

In the event, Cairney kept his place as Quinno started on the bench. Trouten and Paton were back, with Murray dropping to the bench and Agostini out after being injured against Rovers and Dunlop joining Sinclair at the heart of the defence.

There was no let-up in the recent monsoon weather. It was atrocious, with the Hampden swirl whipping the rain all the way up to Homer's laptop in the press box. It's actually Gulliver's laptop, so when it blows up you'll understand Homer's ambivalence.

The weather would obviously have a big say in the proceedings. Berwick are a more physical team than Queen's, so it would be interesting to see how they cope in the heavy conditions, which could only get worse.

But Queen's made a confident start, and could have been ahead in four minutes. Trouten was set free to run into the box on the right and his fierce right foot shot was beaten away by O''Çonnor.
Even this early Berwick looked a competent team going forward - you don't win that many games on the trot unless you're useful - and Haynes at No 9 was a big lump of a boy who was guaranteed to give Sinky and Dunlop a bruising afternoon.
It was 12 minutes before Crawford was called on to make a save, comfortably holding David Greenhill's shot from the edge of the box.
Queen's were having some success down the right, and Kettlewell went clear only to see his cutback elude a Hooped shirt.
Twenty minutes in and there was no let-up in the deluge; if anything, the rain was heavier.
Crawford made a good save low to his right, again from Greenhill D. Despite the conditions the players were striving to play the ball on the deck and Queen's were more than holding their own.
We had a repeat of the Weatherston diving controversy in 29 minutes, when referee Hardie booked the young striker for just that when he went down under a challenge from keeper O'Connor on the far side of the park. Homer couldn't tell if there had been any contact but that's the third time this season Weatherston has been booked this season for what referees consider is "'simulation''. Homer thinks the boy is a victim of his own pace.
McNicoll was booked for a foul on Trouten. 30 minutes in and the rain keeps coming.
And Homer was hoping for a flood, perhaps even a postponement, as Berwick sunk Queen's with two goals in two minutes.
It was as simple as you like. One minute Queen''s are well in the game, next minute they are chasing their tails.
Queen's failed to prevent a deep cross from the right in 39 minutes and Haynes rose above Sinclair inside the six yard box to head against the underside of the bar and into the bet behind the stranded Crawford.
A minute later and Queen's were 2-0 down. Ronald lost possession just outside the box on the Queen's left to that man Greenhill D, who stepped inside a challenge before firing a low right foot shot across Crawford and into the far corner.
It was hard to believe, and it was difficult to see any way back for Queen's.
Half-time: Queen's 0, Berwick 2.
News of the Dumbarton game being abandoned has brought Homer hope; but, in the event of no divine intervention, Ronald being pushed up front to join the lone Weatherston would do for starters. Certainly, it was going to take something extraordinary to take anything from this game.
Trouten had a shot charged down by O'Connor 10 minutes in, but Berwick were looking comfortable.
They looked distinctly uncomfortable a minute later, when a delightful run and through pass by Trouten put Weatherston one on one with the keeper, who managed to bundle the ball away.
Queen's had created the chances, but our traditional failing was letting us down; we couldn't put the ball in the net.
The post denied us in 59, after some lovely interpassing. Cairney fought for possession on the edge of the box, squared to Trouten, and his pass forward into the box was hammered against the base of the post by Ferry.
Greenhill G added his contribution in 63, a neat run inside from the right and a left foot shot which only just cleared the bar. But Berwick were comfortable. As in the first half Queen's had good possession, but no end product.
Queen's made a double substitution in 75 minutes - Carroll and Murray replacing Weatherston and Ferry - and Berwick sent on McGroarty for Noble.
Trouten was booked for a foul on Thomson in 78, having been warned a minute earlier.
The game had become a bit of a stalemate. Murray hammered a shot just over but time was running out for Queen's.
Haynes hoodwinked Dunlop and Trouten at the corner flag and ambled along the byeline before firing in a shot which Crawford blocked, and then O'Connor saved a Ronald shot at the second attempt.
But it was that mad two minutes in the first half that did for Queen's. That and their inability to put the ball in the net.