Another new year has dawned; the hangover is still chiseling away at the back of the skull - and most of the resolutions have still to be broken. But even though 2012 is only two days old, there's one thing you can forecast with a fair degree of certainty ... Queen's are going to continue their glorious traditions; delighting us one moment and driving us to despair the next.
Today at Broadwood made that case very eloquently. We scored early, took control, missed chances, saw the opposition reduced to 10 men, instantly gave them an equaliser ... and then fashioned a late victory to send the fans home happy, if still shellshocked as to how we managed to make it so hard for ourselves.
Things started well with the news that Dumbarton had released Martin McBride and he had signed on again for Queen's. Even better, he had shaken off a calf strain to be fit enough to take his place in the starting XI. So the only change from the team that did the business against Shire was the absence of Daryll Meggatt through family commitments. His place was taken by Sean Burns.
To say it was cold inside Broadwood is a bit like suggesting our barman extraordinaire Graham Carmalt likes a wee moan ... it was Baltic.
The wind whipped in and did its very best to cut you in two, while the rain only relented occasionally - and even then not for very long.
Given such testing conditions, you might have expected a slow start to the game - not a bit of it. Craig Smith rampaged through in the opening 30 secs and might have done better than win a corner. Then Clyde broke upfield and Little had to be alert to repel the danger.
Queen's turn next, and McBride let fly from distance. Optimistic perchance, but with the wind more or less behind him, it was probably worth a go.
There were less than three minutes on the clock, but already the signs were promising. The promise took a big step towards fulfilment within 60 seconds. Smith and Watt worked the ball well into the Clyde box before Sharp stepped in and tried to clear. His clearance was charged down by Watt, the ball fell to Longworth - and the rest was seldom in doubt as he steered the ball past former Spiders keeper David Crawford to put us 1-0 ahead.
Most teams getting off to such a start would put the foot down and try to kill off the game. No doubt that's what Queen's intended, but it didn't quite work out like that. Slowly but surely the home side worked their way back into the game.
After 10 minutes, another former QP player, John Neil, should have done better with a shooting opportunity. All he could manage was a virtual passback which Parry clutched gratefully.
The big keeper had cause to thank his defence after 19 minutes when McGinn slid in at exactly the right moment to take the ball of White's toe as the big centre lined up a shot.
And so it went on; Queen's had the bulk of possession, but couldn't work Crawford too hard. Clyde were far more direct, and that approach could have paid off midway though the half had Parry not used all his 6ft4 frame to turn away another shot from Neil.
Chances were at a premium, but Queen's spurned two of the golden variety after 34 minutes. Longworth turned and fed a lovely ball through to Smith. If we're being kind, we'll give Crawford credit for blocking the striker's shot. We can't be quite so generous with the rebound, which fell to Davie Murray - who blasted it over the top.
Looking back at his notes on this one, Gulliver's impeccable shorthand reads: "Hope we don't rue those misses."
We almost did after 37 minutes when Brough fouled Neil in a dangerous position. Fortunately, Sweeney effort was weak and easily taken by Parry.
Then it was our turn to have a go from a free-kick, this time after McGinn was decked at the corner of the box. Burns fired the effort wide, and minds began to turn to the sanctuary of the pie stall and some half-time warmth. Little did we know how things were going to heat up on the pitch in the dying embers of the first period.
There were less than two minutes left as Clyde cleared another QP attack. The ball was swept upfield, but the break was halted by the vigorous waving of the linesman's flag. Referee Salmond went over for a chat with his colleague and then strode purposefully back towards the middle of the park. Trouble was clearly coming as he reached for his top pocket - and the red card was shown at Sweeney.
Gulliver would love to be able to say that he saw the midfielder kick out at Smith after the ball was cleared. Truth is, like most in the ground - including the referee - he saw nothing untoward. All that can be said is that Sweeney didn't protest too much before trudging off.
While the decision reduced Clyde to 10 men, it also sparked real fire in their bellies. Suddenly they were on the front foot, while Queen's seemed content to wait for the interval and the chance to regroup.
We were seconds away from that moment when we decided it would be far more gentlemanly for the sides to go in level at the break. Burns fail to cut out a through ball; the entire defence seemed transfixed as the ball was delivered into the middle - and nobody could stop White prodding it over the line for an unlikely equaliser.
There was scarcely time for the restart before Salmond blew the whistle and the half-time score read:

Clyde 1, Queen's Park 1

The first half had been entertaining enough considering the conditions the players were trying to deal with. The second period seldom produced the same excitement. Both teams struggled to get the ball down and play as the usually excellent Broadwood surface began to cut up. When you can't play the ball on the deck - and the wind is playing havoc every time the ball gets in the air - it's not exactly conducive to good football.
Despite the difficulties the game had its moments. In the early stages of the second period, most were for the home side. Only three minutes after the break there was real danger when Brough was penalised right on the corner of our box. The threat never materialised, however, as the shot from Cusack threatened the windows of the neighbouring sports centre more than Parry's goal.
With the man advantage, Queen's began to take a stranglehold on possession, without carving out too many clear-cut opportunities.
Anything we did create fell to Craig Smith, and the lightning-fast striker was having one of those days when nothing would go right for him. Just after the hour, he failed to make the most of a through ball from McBride, and it was little surprise when he got the hook a few minutes later, being replaced by Daly.
Queen's continued to press; Clyde continued to look dangerous on the break. With 20 minutes to go, Little put in the kind of challenge this scribe loves to see. There was no hint of raised studs; no danger to the opponent - and Ricky undoubtedly played the ball. In Gulliver's (very limited) playing days, it was the type of challenge which would have earned you a pat on the back from the boss and a pint down the pub after the game from your team-mates. Today, all it earned Ricky was a yellow card. Progress ... I don't think so.
Anyway, after that livened up proceedings, the game sank back into its stalemate. Crawford in the Clyde goal was the subject of some gentle rebukes from the QP faithful for the time he took over goal kicks ... there was little else to get exorcised over at this point.
Although Queen's turned the screw, the goal wouldn't come. McGinn was becoming more and more prominent as the game went on, and he went close to breaking the deadlock after bursting through and letting fly with his left peg.
Anderson and McBride tried to pull the strings, without getting the necessary response, while White look a real handful in the Clyde front line every time the ball was fired long.
But, as they say in all the best cliche-ridden reports ... it only takes a second to score a goal. Fortunately, for all those who had traveled from Mount Florida, it was the men in the Irn-Bru colours who found the decisive strike.
And the goal, when it came, was simplicity itself. Murray got clear on the left, swung in a cross - and Daly nodded it past the helpless Crawford; 2-1. The only problem for those in the away camp was that we still had about 11 minutes to defend the lead.
Defend it we did, however, through a mixture of composed play; decent passing, panic clearances - and good old-fashioned effort.
We could have added to the lead as Longworth and then late sub Ronald put in crosses which should have been dispatched to the back of the net. They weren't, but Clyde couldn't fashion an equaliser and as the full-time whistle went, cries of "six-in-a-row" and "can we play you every week" went up to signify the current Indian sign we have over our old rivals.
It was far from a classic, but Gulliver still took great delight in passing on the scoreline to an old chum down south who has the misfortune to follow the Bully Wee. His young son, Alastair, is showing similar leanings - and to make matters worse, also follows Arsenal. Young man, will you never learn?
As for us, we've bigger fish to fry next week when it's off to Fir Park in the cup. Unbeaten in 2012; back in the play-off positions; derby day victory under our belts ...it truly is a happy new year. Only another 364 days to go ... keep the faith.

 

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