Anderson injury overshadows fightback

Queen's Park 1 Berwick Rangers 1

Queen's Park - Parry, McGinn, Meggatt, Little, Brough, Gallacher, Urquhart, Anderson, Daly, Longworth, Burns. Subs - Quinn, Stewart, Watt, Murray, Strain (GK). Berwick - Barclay, Notman, Thomson, Townsley, McLeod, Lee Currie, Greenhill, Paul Currie, Gribben, McLaren, McDonald. Subs - Walker, McLean, Gray, Noble, Gall (GK). Referee - Euan Anderson.

One win, two defeats. It's been a topsy-turvy league start for the Spiders after our good performances against First Division opposition in the two cup competitions.
But despite the utter downer of Elgin last week we've got a long way to go before we plumb (steady, Sinky!) the depths of last season when we lost seven of our first 10.

Annan are the only 100 per cent team in Scotland and to think we were leading them 2-0 in the first game of the season.

We managed just one win from four last season against today's visitors Berwick. These matches are always close and this one should be no different.
A boost for Spiders was the return from holiday of midfield playmaker Davie Anderson, while young Alan Urquhart was fit and joined him in midfield and gnarled veteran Tony Quinn was on the bench.

But Craig Smith and Giuseppe Capuano were ruled out, although David Murray made the bench after suffering no adverse reaction to the week's training sessions.

The morning rain had gone, it was bright and warm - even sunny sometimes! - for the start on a beautiful-looking pitch - and just a shade less frantic than will be experienced on this hallowed spot next Saturday!
Berwick had an all-black change strip with the orange-yellow chest and white numbers on a black background that even old Gulliver could see clearly.
A quiet start exploded in four minutes when Brough committed a bad tackle on the driving McLaren. Homer and Gulliver exchanged red card glances but referee Anderson merely brandished yellow with a stern warning. Brough had 86 minutes to stay out of the ref's bad books.
Queen's looked enterprising when Daly and McGinn combined down the right. The full back released his left-side opposite number Meggatt, he played a neat one-two with Burns, but his cross was slightly overhit.
Burns had another crossing chance two minutes later but this time found keeper Barclay.
Gallacher conceded a foul on Gribben 25 yards out and the striker blazed the free kick over - with the ballboy making a fine catch behind the goal.
Berwick created the best chance so far in 15 minutes. Gribben and McDonald exchanged passes after Queen's failed to mark up at a Thomson throw-in and McDonald blazed a low shot just wide of Parry's right-hand post from just outside the box.
Homer would be delighted to see Queen's win ugly, and this wasn't pretty. It was sloppy from both teams, with misplaced passes and poor options.
But it all changed in 20 minutes when Berwick took the lead - with a carbon copy of that earlier McDonald shot.
Two defensive headers failed to clear a free kick, conceded by Urquhart, and the second header from Little dropped on the edge of the box to be met by McDonald's first-time drive which beat Parry again low to his right.
It was hard to say either team merited being ahead but if you don't shoot you can't score. And as we headed for the 25th minute Berwick keeper Barclay was yet to face a shot worthy of the name.
Scorer McDonald was certainly having a high-profile game, next being booked for an off the ball tackle that left Anderson limping.
Berwick had grabbed the initiative with the goal and the forward darts of McDonald and McLaren were causing problems.
Queen's went to sleep at another throw-in, Gribben released McLaren, and it took a tackle by Meggatt to divert his shot for a corner, the first of the match, which Queen's bundled clear.

With Smith out, and Watt and Murray on the bench, Queen's had a distinct lack of pace up front and they were struggling to get behind the Berwick defence.
Meggatt won a free kick off Lee Currie 20 yards out on the right and Queen's fans had started shouting "goal!" when Burns' curling left-foot free kick had keeper Barclay rooted but skimmed wide of his left hand post.
It was a struggle, though, for Queen's. Their passing game was disjointed and it was a hard shift picking up the Berwick runners.
McLaren again got clear in the box in 39 minutes and this time Little, on the deck, cleared with a fortunate header.
Daly tried to relieve the pressure with a run down the right but his attempted pass to Longworth was only just cut out by the sliding McLeod.
Queen's won their first corner in 43 minutes after some better play, Gallacher driving into the box and having his driven cross deflected, but Burns' flag kick was disappointingly long.
You couldn't grudge Berwick their half-time lead. They were the better team after the goal and Queen's rarely threatened. It could only get better in the second half.

Half-time: Queen's Park 0 Berwick 1
Queen's created more chances in the first two minutes of the restart than in the whole of the first half.
Stewart came on for Urquhart and the midfielder's first contribution was to play a lovely one-two into the box that set up Longworth for a shot on the turn that Barclay held at full stretch to his left.
Then Burns got to the byeline for the first time in the game and his low cross was taken off Daly's toes.
Much better from Queen's but they needed to maintain that form and find an end product.
Berwick changed it in 56 minutes, sending on Walker for Paul Currie, but it was Queen's who changed the game on the hour with a fine equaliser.
For the first time Burns managed to get beyond the Berwick backline down the left on a fine through ball from Meggatt. The youngster charged forward, kept his head, and then released a beautiful left-footed low inswinging pass behind the retreating Berwick backline to leave Daly with a tap-in at the far post. Perfect.
That was just the spur Queen's needed and already they looked more lively, more dangerous.
Gardner Speirs had Murray stripped to come on before the goal but he still made the change, the wee winger replacing the steady Gallacher in what looked an adventurous switch.
Berwick were still dangerous, though, and McGinn made two marvellous interceptions, the second to dispossess McDonald as he tried to turn for a shot in the box. Excellent.
The same couldn't be said for Daly's effort a minute later. Murray broke on the right and his cross was cleared out to Daly, on the penalty spot, but his attempted shot sailed well over.
Queen's had claims for a penalty after a quick break when a Berwick free kick was cleared. Stewart's chipped pass had Murray fighting Thomson in a sprint and the Queen's winger went down in the box under the full back's strong-arm challenge but the referee waved away appeals.
Gribben was booked for a blatant body check on Meggatt and Berwick then took off the striker and sent on Noble.
From the free kick Murray broke down the right and his cross was chested for a corner by Townsley.
Meggatt was first to rise for the flag kick but headed straight at Barclay.
Queen's were certainly more enterprising now. The introduction of Stewart had added some guile and pace and chances were being created.
Longworth had a trademark effort in 80 minutes, turning on a pass 25 yards out and in one movement firing a left-foot shot just wide.
Murray won a corner off Notman in 82 minutes but before the kick was taken Quinn came on for Daly and Berwick sent on Gray for Greenhill.
Unfortunately Homer can't report a fairytale introduction for Quinno, Meggatt again winning the corner but this time heading wide.
Homer thought the Quinno fairytale had arrived a minute from time. Meggatt crossed from the left, Quinno rose like a trout to the fly - and headed straight into Barclay's arms.
And Meggatt had his own chance in the next attack, forcing Barclay into a save low at his left hand post.
But the game ended on a real downer for Queen's. We got the draw - and it could have been three points had our first half matched the second - but the influential Anderson, trying to turn away from the action, went down with a yell.
It looked like his Achilles and after treatment from physio Bob Findlay he was carried off on a stretcher clearly in pain. A sad sight and a bitter blow for Anderson and the Hoops.