Scottish League Division 3
	Queen's Park	1
	Weatherston
	Stenhousemuir	0
Saturday, March 31, 2007

It was just like last week. Hampden was bathed in sunshine - well, at least the North Stand was - and we had an expectant crowd. Okay, there was something like a 50,000-plus shortfall, but Homer's butterflies were just as active for Queen's Park against Stenhousemuir as they had been last week for Scotland against Georgia.
We could do with the same result, in this our third last home game of the season - can you believe it? - to maintain our title push, but we would have to do it with a couple of enforced changes.
It's 561 minutes since we lost a goal, seven games since we failed to win, and 10 games since we tasted defeat. In any company, that is championship-winning form. Our defence has been the rock on which we have built our excellent form, but it was changed today. Mick Dunlop started the first of his two-game ban - he'll also miss Tuesday night here against East Stirling - but we had an excellent deputy in club skipper Richard Sinclair, back for his first start since February 3 at East Fife.
The only other change was Tony Quinn in for Paul Ronald, who was getting a break after his tremendous input recently. The old boy has done exceptionally well.
Stenny were one of the pre-season title favourites, but they have gone backwards at a rate of knots. That said, they have good players and shouldn't be any push-overs.
Talking of good players, Queen's were wearing black armbands today in memory of Davie Letham, the former player and president of the club who has died at 83.
According to Bob Crampsey, Davie could have made it as a pro but for serious injuries. Homer will miss his half-time chat.
Davie would have been impressed at the start we made. In the first four minutes we made four chances, with a catalogue of fine play.
ONE MINUTE: Weatherston pulled down a through ball in the box, but from a good position he was adjudged to have controlled the ball with his hand and the chance was lost.
TWO MINUTES: Excellent interpassing among Ferry, Canning, and Weatherston ended with the striker's low cross, but Trouten couldn't direct his sliding shot.
THREE MINUTES: More good interplay, this time Trouten and Weatherston setting up Kettlewell for a shot that was blocked.
FOUR MINUTES: Weatherston was clearly fouled as he burst into the box - penalty! we cried - but he refused to go down and his cross was cleared. Contrast that with the number of times this season Weatherston's pace has seen him go down, only to be booked for diving. The boy can't win.
So, an excellent sunshine start for the Spiders. They were obviously up for it; now we had to settle back, soothe the nerves, and hope our early superior play was maintained and turned into goals.
Queen's had another penalty shout ignored in 18 minutes, when Kettlewell went down running on to a pass after good build-up play by Trouten and Paton.
Stenny were seeing more of the ball by now, having survived that early onslaught. There were obviously going to be nerves on the park and in the stands, because no team is going to get it all their own way for 90 minutes.
Stenny's most dangerous moment came in 27 minutes, but Crawford ended the danger saving low from a Sinclair cross.
Queen's, though, had the perfect response - a goal. It came on the half hour and - surprise, surprise - it came from the on-fire Weatherston. It was a solo effort, leaving Menzies for dead with an electric burst down the right, before cutting inside and, from the most acute of angles, beating McCulloch at his near post with a low shot. Brilliant.
Now Queen's had to concentrate and build on that. It was no more than their pressure demanded and deserved but, as Homer has been telling you folk for what seems like years, ONE IS NEVER ENOUGH; certainly not for Homer's nerves, anyway.
Queen's kept up the pace. Sinclair headed over from a Paton free kick and then Thom was booked in 40 minutes for pulling down Weatherston as he burst to the byline. Weatherston collected Paton's free kick at the far post and knocked it low into the box, but the ball was knocked off Kettlewell's toes.
Half-time: Queen's Park 1, Stenhousemuir 0
The energy of Kettlewell, Cairney, Trouten and Weatherston - testament to the excellent conditioning that has helped the whole team maintain such a high level of fitness despite a long season - had controlled the first half and put Stenny on the back foot, and now we had to keep it going.
The pattern of the first half continued, but there were large intakes of breath in 56 minutes when Crawford was called on to turn a Sinclair free kick over the bar. A misplaced pass by Quinn in the centre circle had the Spiders in retreat, Kettlewell missed a tackle, and Paton brought the move to a halt with a foul on Thomson on the edge of the box. Cue Crawford to make a fine save, and then the keeper made a very impressive catch under pressure from the corner.
Trouten abruptly pulled up on the hour while chasing a through ball, and he had to go off to be replaced by Dunn. The sub was invoved in the best move of the half so far. Kettlewell won a good tackle on the edge of his own box, Paton ferried the ball up the right and Dunn played a great pass behind the full back. And who was there, running onto it, but the non-stop Ketts, turning in a low cross that was booted clear from Weatherston.
Stenny sent on Desmond for Sinclair in 68 minutes.
Queen's were forced into another injury change when Weatherston limped off in 73 miknuites to be replaced by Carroll, and Stenny at the same time sent on ex-Celt Brian McLaughlin for Thomson.
Kettlewell went close in 77 minutes after a sweeping move down the right. Cairney and Paton combined for the full back to fire in a cross, Ferry pulled it down and touched it inside, and Ketts fired just wide.
Dunn was having a lot of joy down the right. Quinn only narrowly failed to get his head on his cross six yards out, and then in two quickfire almost identical moves Ferry headed against the far post with McCulloch beaten and Quinn again came close to connecting with a header.
Stenny were having sporadic attacks, without ever looking like scoring, but there was still nervousness in the stand whenever they got near our area.
They say bad luck comes in threes, and we lost another man to injury when Quinn went down clutching his hamstring. Bowers replaced him.
Life is never dull with Queen's, and they almost conceded the equaliser THREE AND A HALF MINUTES into injury time. It took a quite magnificent save from Crawford to keep the three points safe, diving full out low to his left to get his hand to a downward header from Thom. It was no surprise he was mobbed at the full time whistle by his delighted team-mates. Homer would have given him a cuddle, too.
So, the run goes on. The only cloud on the horizon is the fitness of Trouten, Weatherston, and Quinn for Tuesday night against Shire. Bring them on.