Scottish League Division 3
	Queen's Park	2
	Weatherston, Ferry
	Dumbarton	0
Saturday February 17, 2007

HOMER’S wee pal Gulliver is a great one for his statistics, the anorak that he is, and every so often he comes up with something of moderate interest.
And it’s not only the anoraks who would be interested to note the comparison between Queen’s position now and at the same stage last term.
We’ve played 25 games so far, winning 12, drawing 5 and losing eight. We’ve scored 35 goals and conceded 24, amassing 41 points.
Last time round, the position was won 11, drawn, 6, lost 8, for 34, against 28 and points 42. Sound familiar?
Last February, we sat fourth in the league, but won just two of our last 11, drawing six and losing three – to miss promotion by four points.
At the moment we sit second, have designs on the title … and a dread of missing out altogether if we don’t start turning our excellent build-up play into goals more often.
Just last week we battered Shire something rotten, but still had just two goals to show for it.
Homer was sure we wouldn’t find today’s visitors from Dumbarton so generous, and if we were to take the three points that were essential to keep title hopes alive, we would have to bury anything that came our way.
We’d also have to keep the back door locked, a task made harder by the continuing absence of Steve Reilly and Richard Sinclair. The good news was that Alan Trouten was available again, giving the boss something to ponder for his selection. Trouten supplies the creativity, puts defenders on the back foot, and he came straight back in with Paul Ronald dropping down to the bench in place of Jonny Whelan.
It was a perfect day for football - at the minute. We could, of course, experience all four seasons within the next 90 minutes, but for now it was dry and bright.
Bright was not a description which could be attached to the Sons away kit. It was cheeky little black number, with only a blue flash on the shorts to break up the dark.
It was a positive start by Queen's; they kept Sons waiting a good couple of minutes before they made their entrance - rival boss Gerry McCabe was actually staring back down the tunnel as his team had the pitch to themselves - and they tried to impose their will from the start.
The ball was in the Sons' half for the first five minutes, and the best we had to show was Cairney cutting inside from the left, beating Geggan, and then seeing his low shot saved by Grindlay.
Weatherston a minute later attempted the identical move, but his shot was blocked.
This should be an entertaining game, and so far the signs were positive. Good running by Kettlewell down the right retrieved a slack pass by Trouten, who took the return and whipped over a cross which proved just too high for the rising Dunn and he headed over the top.
Agostini got in a great interception to break up Dumbarton's first attack, but the visitors' first danger came in 15 minutes, when Dillon headed over, but it was Queen's who almost broke the deadlock at the other end with a quick break. Weatherston's pace took him clear into the box on the right, he flung a cross to the far post and Ferry's strong downward header was bundled round the post by keeper Grindlay.
But Weatherston's pace was used to devastating effect as he put Queen's in front after 20 minutes. It was a magnificent goal, created by Homer's new hero, Paolo Cairney. The wee man won the ball in the centre circle and played an inch-perfect pass inside the retreating Geggan and Weatherston did not even have to break stride as he knocked the ball forward before slotting his shot under the diving Grindlay. Wonderful, and not unlike Weatherston's finish at Shire last week.
To be fair, it was no more than Queen's deserved for a positive, pressing start. Now, could they keep it up?
After 26 minutes, Crawford had not yet been called upon to make a save, Bagan firing well over the top from 20 yards as Sons tried to fight their way back into the game.
Tommy Coyne, son of the former Celtic and Dundee United striker - who was watching from the stand - had a half chance on the half hour when a misplaced Paton clearance dropped at his feet, but the young former Kilmarnock and Stirling Albion striker couldn't control it and shot well wide.
A slack pass by Ferry across the middle of the park put Queen's under pressure, but Ferry got back to break up the attack by conceding a corner which fortunately came to nothing.
The game had died somewhat. Homer is unsure whether that would be good or bad for Queen's, but I prefer to see them playing at a high tempo, and as we hit 38 minutes that tempo had dropped a bit. There was a lot of slack passing, by both teams, which didn't help the continuity.
Cairney was booked for a nothing foul in 41 minutes, and Homer had to restrain Gulliver; not that the wee anorak would ever criticise officials, of course.
But, that was it. A very satisfactory half for Queen's, who were controlling the game. Dumbarton it has to be said had contributed little in an attacking sense - and long may it continue.
Half time - Queen's Park 1, Dumbarton 0

The general feeling shared with the half-time cuppa was that one was never enough, despite Queen's controlling things.
And that was made clear two minutes in, when first Paton and then Canning failed to cut out crosses and Coyne headed over and wide.
Queen's broke immediately down the left, Weatherston's pace again taking him clear to get in a cross which was headed clear.
The pattern was the same as the first half and, like the first half, it was Queen's who struck first. And another fine goal it was. After a bout of sustained pressure in and around the Sons box in 57 minutes, Robert Dunn was pulled back as he prepared to shoot, Weatherston had a shot blocked, and Ferry picked up the loose ball on the edge of the box and fairly rattled a shot past Grindlay.
So, to the half-time doubters, would two be enough? Homer doubts it; this is, after all, Queen's Park we're talking about.
Crawford had his first serious save in 61 minutes, diving full length to his right to hold a strong shot from Dillon.
Sons sent on McNaught for Dillon in 67. Three minutes later, Frankie Carroll replaced the hardworking, unlucky Dunn. In 75, Hamilton replaced Boyle for Sons, and in between times Queen's continued to control the play, with the run all day Kettlewell and Cairney and the thoughtful Ferry and Trouten controlling the middle of the park and giving the Sons no time to build.
Geggan was replaced by McKeever, whose first touch gave Queen's a good penalty claim in 82 minutes. McKeever blocked a neat Cairney chip with his hand on the left of the box, but the referee adjudged it had happened outside the box. Canning will need to talk Homer through his free kick, which flew miles over the bar.
McKeever escaped a booking, which he also did a minute later when he stopped another through ball with his hand and conceded a second foul. Gulliver is mumbling something about consistency, but not this time frothing at the mouth; amazing the effect a 2-0 lead has on the wee anorak.
Coyne was booked in 87 minutes for persistent fouling, but there hadn't been a bad tackle in the game.
But there had been two excellent goals, and a vital three points for Queen's. Great stuff.