Scottish League Division 3
	Queen's Park	1
	Dunlop
	Arbroath	0
Saturday, December 23, 2006

SEASON'S greetings to all ye faithful. You'll understand if Homer hasn't sent you a card, there were more than enough of them flashed last week.
The debate went on long after the final whistle over the merits of the various decisions in the Shire debacle, but the consensus eventually seemed to be that while the big decisions all went against us, our players did make it easy for the referee to send them packing by indulging in some suicidal defending.
The aftermath was a decimated squad for this afternoon, with Paton, Trouten and Sinclair all on the sidelines. And they'll be there for quite a while, with Dumbarton and Albion Rovers to follow. The totting up of points means Paton and Trouten won't be back until after the Albion Rovers game, and Sinclair will miss this week and next. In addition, Steve Reilly, who is just one point away from another ban, has done his hamstring, and wasn't fit enough to be considered today. And he could be out for weeks.
That's just what you need when you're facing the team with the best away record in the league.
Arbroath have won seven of their nine league games on the road, scoring 20 goals for the loss of just seven.
And if you wanted to get even more depressed, Queen's haven't beaten the Gayfield side at HQ since September 1997. It was so long ago that Jim Mercer was in the Spiders ranks, and scored the winning goal in injury time.
The neutral observer would wonder if it was worthwhile Queen's turning up. Homer did have the same fleeting thought for just one moment, but the Glorious Hoops can spring a pleasant surprise once in a while, maybe this would be one of them.
To achieve that, Billy Stark fielded a very creative line-up. Agostini, captain for the day Ronald and Dunlop formed a back three, with young Paul Cairney and Steve Canning as the wing backs.In midfield were Kettlewell, Quinn and Ferry, while up front were Dunn and Weatherston. Unusual, indeed.
There have been worse days recently. Homer likes his winters cold, dry and bright, which were pretty much the conditions at kick-off, although the floodlights were on.
The first 10 minutes passed in a flash, with the usual early shadow boxing as both sides strived to find a rhythm. In the case of Queen's, this was perhaps no surprise; some of them had only just been introduced!
Ronald had the chance to show his versatility with an excellent touchline chase and tackle to stop Scott. The Arbroath striker was the first to create any danger, with a shot blocked by Cairns and then a low effort wide of the far post. He looked suspiciously offside in both instances.
Queen's had shown little forward threat in the first 15 minutes; little had changed after 20, and if anything Arbroath were just shading it with their better forward movement. And our old pal Willie Martin was already moaning, so no change there.
So, of course, Queen's scored, didn''t they? It was our first real chance, created by Weatherston when he won a free kick on the Arbroath byeline on the right with a tricky run in 23 minutes.
Canning lashed his free kick low to the edge of the six-yard box and the inrushing Dunlop turned the ball low past Peat. A simple goal, but then football is a simple game.
Cairney showed good composure when he chested down a cross for Cairns to collect and, as Arbroath tried for a quickl reply, Ronald made another good interception to break up a dangerous attack.
Ronald was having a good game. He stopped Sellars with what looked a good tackle, but referee Boyd deemed in was a free kick and Stein lashed the free kick high over the bar.
A magnificent through ball by Canning almost put Ferry clear, but a despairing tackle ended the move. Ronald was penalised again for a foul on Scott, 25 yards out, and this time Stein was on target as Cairns was forced to put the ball over from under his bar.
Queen's were forced into a change in 41 minutes. Dunn, who had been holding the ball up well and linking play, picked up a knock and was replaced by Bowers, who earned his first offside decision before his first touch.
But there were no more alarms until half time, and you have to say it was a comfortable performance from a makeshift QP side.
Half-time: Queen's 1, Arbroath 0.

No changes for Queen's at half-time, which Bowers spent on the park warming up.
Queen's almost warmed us up with a second goal in 49 minutes. A free kick was turned for a corner, Canning's flag kick was not properly cleared and, when Ronald played a pass out to Ferry on the edge of the box, his low shot zipped past Peat's right hand post with the keeper rooted to his line. Close.
It was close again on 56 minutes when Weatherston beat Raeside to a through ball down the left, neatly turned inside the big defender into the box, and curled in a shot with beat Peat but also the bar.
Willie Martin had his first attempt at goal with a header that went narrowly wide, but it was still an even game.
Queen's came desperately close to a second goal in 63 minutes. Kettlewell played a ball over the top and Weatherston outpaced the Arbroath defence into the box, but his low right foot shot came back off the the right post with the keeper nowhere. So close.
Kettlewell was taken out after he had played a pass and Canning made Peat save low to his left from the free kick.
Arbroath were having their best success with high balls into our box, but so far Agostini, Ronald and Dunlop were coping.
Arbroath sent on Voight and Reilly for Martin and Stein.
Kettlewell won a header in midfield and hadn't stopped running when the return pass was pushed ahead of him into the area and he brought out a diving block from Peat.
The corner was cleared out to Ferry and his low shot was deflected over the bar. Good pressure from Queen's. And it continued with excellent midfield play from Weatherston to set up Canning and then Ferry for a shot which Peat again saved low.
Queen's were forced into yet another change when the excellent Kettlewell succumbed to a knock - so you knew it had to be sore - and was replaced by Murray.
Queen's were playing well, but another chance - the best so far - came and went in 77 minutes. Weatherston and Bowers combined well and a lovely inside pass set up the sub for a clear shot on goal 16 yards straight out, but Bowers' low effort was blocked by the legs of Peat for a corner.
We almost scored from that, too. Canning's corner was headed on at the near post by Quinn and Ronald shot over. Good stuff.
After last week's red card horror show, sub Voight was luckly to go completely unpunished for a late charge on Canning.
But there was no saving Scott from an early bath in 82 minutes. The striker was held off by Agostini as they fought for a ball into the box, Big D's superior strength shepherded the ball back to Cairns, and the frustrated Scott proceeded to take a blatant kick at the Spiders defender. And off he went. Four red cards in two games at Hampden, you couldn't make it up.
Rennie was booked for blocking a throw-in and Sellars followed for blocking the enthusiastic Cairney. Then Quinn had a hooked shot stopped on the line after he had beaten Peat to a high ball. It was all happening - and happily at the right end of the park.
So, an excellent result for this makeshift Queen's team and one which gives us a nice boost for the festive programme. Paul Ronald won the Player of the Day award and nobody will disagree with that.

Pictures of the game can be found on snapper Alan Rhodes' website. Click here: