Gunned down by Elgin

Elgin City 2 Queen's Park 0

Elgin: Clark, Kaczan, Duff, Nicolson, MacPhee, Crooks (O'Donoghue), Niven, Beveridge (Lawrie), Moore, Gunn (Frizzel), Leslie. Subs Not Used: Calder, Wilson. Booked: Nicolson. Goals: Beveridge, Gunn. Queens Park: Parry, McGinn, Little, Brough, Meggatt, Smith (Watt), Gallagher, Capuano (Stewart), Burns, Daly, Longworth. Subs Not Used: Strain, Bradley, Lauchlan. Booked: McGinn, Brough, Little. Att: 591 Ref: Andrew Dallas

What can you say about a jaunt to the Highlands that ends in defeat; sees precious few chances created and two awful goals conceded? We don't need answers on a postcard - it was poor; and the only people who could take any credit from a miserable afternoon were those wearing the black and white of Elgin.
That's us now been south to Annan and north to Elgin on our travels. We've come back from both with nothing to show for it, and if we are being honest, we couldn't really argue about either return. Today in particular was a day to forget - it really was as bad as it gets.
What makes it harder to take is that just like Annan a couple of weeks ago, there was no sign of this coming.
We went up to Elgin on the back of a good result against Stranraer and had high hopes of bringing back three points.
There was nothing in the team selection to dampen those hopes. We knew Quinn and Urquhart were going to be missing; we expected Capuano and Lachlan to fill the gaps in the starting line-up and on the bench.
What was also predictable was that there was a wind blowing up and down Borough Briggs. We had it our backs in the first 45 - we failed dismally to make it count in our favour.
The initial skirmishes suggested the home side would settle quicker - and a goal after seven minutes certainly eased any worries they might have had.
It was as simple as it was painful. A ball out to the left; a cross in - and an easy finish for Beveridge.
The only good thing about going a goal down so soon was that we had plenty time to recover. We did produce a couple of moments to lift the spirits.
Firstly Burns got free on the left, but his cross was too easy for keeper Clark. Then with 13 minutes on the clock Meggatt and Burns combined to win us a corner. The first cross was cleared to Jamie Longworth, but his normally deadly finishing instincts deserted him and the shot flew over the top.
Longworth threatened again moments later; this time Clark saved his shot on the turn.
We looked as if we might just be beginning to get our act together, and with 20 minutes on the clock, won another corner. The delivery was better this time and Mick Daly got a header on target. Clark kept the effort out, however, and although we didn't know it at the time, that was our best moments gone.
Just before the half-hour mark, we shot ourselves in the foot again - this time the wound was fatal to our chances. A long punt up the middle left our defence in disarray and Craig Gunn fired past a helpless Parry. If the first goal was poor, this one was downright awful.
The day was summed up a couple of minutes later as Ricky Little pinged a great ball out to Burns. Hopes rose - and instantly died - as the winger trod on the ball and the opportunity went abegging.
It was the last action of a desperately disappointing first half which ended with the home side two goals ahead.
Half-time
Elgin City 2 Queen's Park 0
Although there was little from the first half to give us grounds for optimism, still the hope remained that we would conjure up a fight back from somewhere.
Within 30 seconds, the hope became even more forlorn as Neil Parry had to hurl himself across the goal to stop Elgin going three ahead.
We did have a few moments to get us on our feet in the second period, most produced following breaks by Paul Gallacher. Sadly, either the final ball was lacking, or when it was good enough, our strikers couldn't take advantage.
Burns gave Longworth half a chance after 55 minutes, but Jamie's effort flew over.
The next moments of note came from referee Dallas who booked McGinn, Brough, Little and Nicolson in a fairly short spell. There didn't seem to be much malice in any of the incidents that brought the yellow cards, but at least they gave the crowd something to shout about.
With just less than half an hour to go, Smith was replaced by Chuckie Watt, and then Paul Stewart came on for Giuseppe Capuano. Neither change really looked like altering what was becoming a very bad afternoon.
As the clock ticked towards 80 minutes, Queen's showed signs of more life. Burns again was the provider; Longworth again the recipient of the cross. This time the header was firm; this time the header beat Clark's dive. Unfortunately, this time the header flew past the post ... on the wrong side.
Gallacher then tried his luck from distance - to no effect. With five minutes left, came the final confirmation - not that it was really needed - that this wasn't going to be our day. Gallacher and Meggatt combined to set up Daly, but from a glorious position, Mick missed the target, summing up a bad day at the office for all in the Spiders' colours.
That was the last real chance of the afternoon and the game fizzled out into a bitter disappointment.
It's early days still, but there is every sign that Queen's are going to do what they do best for much of the season ... delight us and send us into despair in virtually the same instant.
There was little delight this afternoon, and a fair bit of despair. However, let's keep things in a wee bit of perspective; we lost a football match - there are far worse things have happened to some very decent folk in the last few days.
And Queen's being Queen's, there is every reason to hope that we will bounce back next week.
Keep the faith ... there's still a few games to go!!