Scottish League Division 3
	Queen's Park	3
	Ronald, Weatherston (2)
	East Fife	0
Saturday September 23, 2006

So Homer has no interest in the CIS Insurance Cup draw that will be taking place in this early evening. The adventure has ended, the dream has died, the hangover receded, Tam Cowan has ate all the pies. Time for a reality check.
The cup runs have obscured league form that sees us ahead only of East Stirling and Elgin City. We are eight points behind today's visitors East Fife; four beind a play-off spot. OK, a couple of wins and we'll be back in the mix, but Homer has yet to see a victory this season and the withdrawal symptoms are beginning to bite.
That lack of victories has not been for the want of trying. Homer has seen quality play but, like the first half against Motherwell, if you don''t take your chances
you remain behind the eight ball.
Homer was heartened by the Motherwell display. Whatever their current form, they are an SPL club, with full-time players earning as much in a week as Homer, and we had no right to imagine an upset. That goes in spades when you considered our defensive problems, with our three main central defenders injured and that security of our team handed to two midfield players - gnarled veteran Jonny Whelan and the combative Quinny.
So we had a better shape today as we welcomed league leaders East Fife. Big Damiano Agostini again failed a late fitness test - "I'm very close," he confided in my wee pal, Gulliver, not five minutes ago - and Richard Sinclair was still unavailable.
But Stevie Reilly was back, replacing the still-recovering Whelan, so the back four had a more normal look - Paton, Reilly, Dunlop, and Canning. Quinny was back in his midfield battle zone, Ronald replaced Trouten, and off we went.
Pre kick-off there was a spirited and noisy protest from East Fife supporters as their board of director took to the comfy seats - the visiting fans wanted somebody "OUT". QP President Gaz Templeperson meanwhile was keeping a low profile.
Queen's started well - where have you read that before? - and the tactic was to get Weatherston in behind their backline.
We managed that several times in the first 10 minutes - and also racked up five offsides.
Ferry's first attempt to get Weatherston away went out of play, but the striker got behind the second through ball down the left, got to the byeline, but his cross was too high for the advancing Kettlewell.
Blackadder fired well over from a free kick after a Kettlewell foul, but Queen's were controlling play.
A nice move by Paton set up a chance for Kettlewell, but he shot straight at Dodds.
Reilly was unlucky to be booked in 11 minutes - worse went before and was to follow - and then Dunlop had a timely interception to prevent a Hampshire cross reaching Ritchie.
But it was Queen's who were controlling play, showing the better football, and they confirmed it in 23 minutes when they went ahead with a fine goal.
A superb through ball from Canning put Kettlewell clear to the left byeline, and from his excellent left foot cross (yes, left foot) Ronald rose unchallenged at the far post to head past Dodds. A towering header, said Gulliver, and even the watching Ally Graham was impressed. The QP legend has become a media luvvie, reporting for the Sunday Mail, and remarked that he never got crosses like that in his day at Hampden. Aye, right.
Anyway, even big Ally's pace would have been sufficient to score the goal which, sensationally and comically, put the Glorious Hoops 2-0 ahead.
It was a nothing ball into the East Fife penalty box, and not a Spider threatening, but Dodds slipped as he attempted to take it into his box to pick it up, lost control of the ball, and the alert Weatherston nipped in to take the ball into the empty net.
Amazing what a wee bit of luck can do for a team. You can''t say Queen's haven't deserved it recently. Better late than never.
Ferry shot straight at Dodds from 25 yards, and so far it was comfortable.
Hampshire had his fifth foul and his second warning and Homer would refer the reader to his earlier comments about Reilly.
The Fifers are not top of the league for nothing, one would suspect - and they had their moments, but Cairns dealt comfortably with any direct shots and Quinn blocked one with his face and then had a very good tackle to dispossess Ritchie in the box.
An excellent half for the Queen's. More of the same, please. Homer can feel those withdrawal symptons receding.
Half-time: Queen's Park 2, East Fife 0

They were sparring at the start of the second half. The Fifers obviously were in the position where they were forced to push on and Queen's seemed content to let them. The sign of a confident team? Or going into our shell?
Homer is pleased to confirm the former. Well, the team confirmed it, actually, with a splendid third goal. Football is meant to be a simple game, and Queen's showed they had taken that lesson to heart eight minutes after the break.
From deep on the right in his own half, Ferry - as he had done so often in the first half - fired a ball over the top of the Fife defence for Weatherston to chase. And did he chase! He got the head down, got in front of the last defender, knocked the ball forward with his chest, and took one touch before firing from the edge of the box a low right foot shot that ripped behind Dodds. Splendid pass, splendid finish.
Quinn headed into Dodds' arms after a corner from the left as Queen's relaxed and pushed the ball around.
In truth, you may find it difficult to gauge the strength of this Queen's performance, because the Fifers were unimpressive to be top of the league, but the Spiders looked the part. Homer has watched them taking apart second-top Stenhousemuir, while losing 2-1, and he is convinced there is not a team in the league that Queen's need to fear - IF WE CAN TAKE EVEN A PERCENTAGE OF OUR CHANCES.
The Fifers were reduced to 10 men in 67 minutes when Linton was granted first use of the showers for a wild lunge at Paton, who had been attracting such attention for much of the match. The boy seemed undisturbed as he floated over a free kick which Quinny headed over the top, and then the irrepressible Weatherston headed wide from Ferry's high cross.
Kettlewell was booked for a foul on Courts.
Weatherston should have had his hat-trick in 76 minutes. The usual tactic; through the channels for Weatherston to chase. Kettlewell was the provider this time and the striker was so far in front of the Fife defence they should have paid gate money to get back into the match. Anyway, Gulliver said Weatherston had too much time to think about it, and he did. Where his second goal had been pass, control, shoot, this time he slowed as he reached the advancing Dodds, debated how he should beat the keeper, and finally shot against him. He managed to get a shot on the rebound, but Smart was back on the line to clear.
It was one-way. Ronald, who had been getting in some excellent tackles in the middle of the park, joined up with Paton to give Ferry a shot which went over the top.
Queen's made a double change in 83 minutes. Dunn, who is looking fitter by the game, was replaced by Bowers and the run-all-day Ketts was replaced by Trouten.
And it should have been four in 88 minutes with another one-on-one with keeper Dodds. Weatherston beat his marker on the halfway line with a delightful reverse flick, knocked the ball through a square defence and got on his bike. Trouten's bike, though, was parked nearer the goal and the sub's legs went like pistons as he raced clear only to shoot against Dodds.
A good word, emphatic. Let's see if you can't give Homer and Gulliver more occasion to use it, Queen's. Magic.