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Queen's have to settle for a point

Queen's Park 1 Peterhead 1

Queen's Park - Parry, McGinn, Meggatt, Little, Brough, Anderson, Watt, McBride, Smith, Longworth, Murray. Subs - Gallacher, Burns, Stewart, Daly, Strain (GK). Peterhead - Jellema, Donald, McBain, Strachan, MacDonald, Scott Ross, David Ross, Redman, McAllister, Bavidge, Deasley. Subs - Wyness, Sharp, Davidson, Robertson, Duffy (gk). Referee - Kevin Graham.

YOU would be forgiven for thinking there was a chance Scottish Cup fever could intrude on the SFL action at Hampden today.
Queen's Park had a comprehensive and thoroughly enjoyable win over Elgin City last week to set up a fourth round tie at Motherwell in the William Hill-sponsored national trophy.
Peterhead, today's visitors to the National Stadium, did even better. Their reward after defeating the mighty Inverurie Locos and Nairn County is a home tie against the even mightier Glasgow Celtic.
And that should be guaranteed to keep the Balmoor Christmas tills ringing well into the New Year.
Exciting dates in January, then, for both teams and their supporters to be slavering over, but first things first. Let's concentrate on the bread and butter, and the first of a potential six league games before we can even contemplate the singing and the dancing at Fir Park.

Homer won't be alone in wondering why relegated Peterhead come to Hampden enjoying a position near the bottom of the Third Division.
Pre-season they were heavy favourites to go straight back up, particularly after they burst the piggie bank to sign Brechin goals machine Rory McAllister.
Take a look at their squad and you'll see a bunch of good, seasoned pros and talented young guys, but getting them to gel was a problem which cost John Sheran his job just 16 games into the season as the much-travelled Jim McInally took over.

After the joys of despatching Elgin, the good news is that Queen's have no new injury concerns and the same 16 lined up against Peterhead.
Further encouraging news came with Tony Quinn's appearance in a midweek friendly against an amateur select and he came through it well as he continues his recovery from his rib injury.
The rain had thankfully eased to a Niagara by kick-off time. It was bitterly cold although the visitors almost made a hot start.
Bavidge has a good scoring record against Queen's and his first touch was to nutmeg Meggatt (a nutmeggatt?) as he drove in from the right, but his cross was cleared for a corner.
It was a good open start by both teams. Toon keeper Jellema came well out his box to head clear from the lively Smith, and Murray got to stretch his legs with a couple of early runs, the second producing a corner which Jellema held at the second attempt.
Longworth was pulled back by Strachan 20 yards out but McBride's free kick was easily cleared.
Bavidge again showed how dangerous he can be with a strong turn in the box, holding off McGinn and firing in a low shot that was deflected for a corner.
The teams were still fencing 14 minutes in. Meggatt headed a McBride corner straight at Jellema and then that man Bavidge had a free header at the back post from a Dave Ross cross and put it over.
Jellema had the first real save of the match in 17 minutes. McGinn set up the Queen's attack with a run from deep, cutting inside and feeding Longworth on the edge of the box, where the striker turned and fired a low shot which the keeper took low down.
It was Parry's turn next to make his first save four minutes later, palming a Dave Ross shot from 20 yards over the bar.
But the keeper was beaten from the corner as Bavidge again rose first only to head onto the top of the bar and over.
Peterhead were exerting some pressure now, helped by their physical style. Deasley had a shot blocked for a corner and Parry won a free kick from the corner under pressure from McAllister.
And it took a fine stretching clearance by Ricky Little to prevent Bavidge getting in again after a nice through pass by Strachan.
Little then turned creator with a forward pass knocked down by Smith which Longworth half-hit at Jellema.
McBain was booked for a foul on Watt in 28 minutes - the ref eventually taking action after a string of Toon petty fouls - and MacDonald had to dive full length to head over his own bar and prevent McBride's free kick reaching Smith.
Queen's won a second corner and there was an almighty scramble in the Peterhead box as first Meggatt and then Watt couldn't connect properly with shots and it was pinball in the visitors' box before the danger was cleared.
Toon right back Donald had to go off in 37 minutes with a knock, and Sharp came on.
McBride picked out the advancing Watt with a fabulous ball inside the full back.The wee man was in the clear but his cross eluded Smith and was too hard for Murray at the back post as the half ended in stalemate.

Half-time: Queen's Park 0 Peterhead 0

The half-time pie was hardly digested when Peterhead shocked Queen's by taking the lead two minutes in.
It was a catalogue of ill luck for Spiders. Watt miskicked in midfield and Little's awkward attempt at a headed back-pass to Parry went for a corner.
The kick was cleared, but only out to Strachan on the right, and his whipped cross eluded everyone but McAllister, who headed high into the net despite Parry getting a hand to the ball.
It was McAllister's first chance - the sign of a good striker? - and he passed up another almost immediately when he shot into the side net from a good position.
The rain was whipping down as Queen's tried to hit back. Anderson charged down a clearance and got in a cross that Scott Ross cleared over his own bar.
Strachan became the next Toon player in the ref's book in 57 minutes for a tug, Scott Ross followed two minutes later for a foul on Longworth, and Deasley made it four in 62 minutes.
McGinn and then Longworth won corners in quick succession but neither produced an opening.
Queen's were exerting some pressure around the 70-minute mark and they came so close to an equaliser, with first Smith and then Anderson having shots cleared off the line with Jellema beaten.
Queen's then took off Watt and sent on Stewart and Bavidge became the fifth Toon booking for a late tackle on Meggatt three minutes earlier which the ref did well to remember.
That was Bavidge's last action as he was replaced by Wyness. Murray skipped into the box on the left to win yet another corner but again McBride's delivery found a Toon head and was cleared. The ball was punted back in and Murray had a shot blocked from the edge of the box.
Toon's physical approach then saw McAllister join their list of bookings and Little became the first Spider booked.
Meggatt did well to block Deasley's shot for a corner after McAllister almost got clear in the box and then Parry blocked Wyness at a post.
Queen's made a second change when Daly replaced Smith with 10 minutes to go and they made the breakthrough two minutes later.
McGinn, the best player on the park, rampaged down the right after a nice one-two with Daly. The young full back forced his way to the byeline and his low cutback was swept behind Jellema by Murray.
It was no more than Queen's deserved for their second half efforts and they made a bold bid for a winner.
Another Daly one-two, this time with Little, put the defender to the byeline but his attempted cutback to Longworth was blocked.
Murray then showed lovely control to take down a pass and turn into the box, all in the one movement, but he was dispossessed before he could shoot or cross.
Then Stewart got in the box and fired in a shot that Jellema did well to beat away.
It was all Queen's. Stewart played in Longworth for a shot that was blocked for another corner but the ref gave a foul in the box, then Longworth only just failed to find Daly with a cross.
And Daly could have won it in the last minute. He played another good one-two with McGinn but then fell over his feet when McGinn's return pass found him unmarked 10 yards in front of goal.
You wonder how Queen's would have fared had their first half performance matched the second but in the end they had to settle for a draw.
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 
 
 

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