So, our last game of the year at Hampden Park and while 2011 can hardly be described as vintage (well, we are still in the Third Division after all) we have seen some decent entertainment. So, no anus horribilis for Homer, then.
Today's visit of East Stirlingshire will be our 19th home league game of a year which has seen just two defeats at HQ - to Annan last season and to Alloa this. We have drawn five and won the rest. Even more than last season this is a wide-open league. We have seen what the opposition has to offer and there isn't a team in the division we can't beat.
Our major problem has been consistency in getting the ball in the net from the huge number of chances we create, because there can't be a team in the league who get the ball in the opposition box as often as Queen's.
That was never more evident than in the past two weeks, when we murdered Alloa at Recreation Park and lost 1-0 and then rolled over Clyde here 3-0 in a game that was much closer than the scoreline suggests.
We have the worst goal difference of any of the top seven and with the exception of Alloa we have scored fewer and conceded more than any of the five teams about us. Yet win our game in hand and we are just five points behind leaders Stranraer.
So, all to play for, starting today against Shire, who in seasons gone by could always rely on Queen's to gift them their only points but have recently found us more Scrooge-like.
At Ochilview in October the Spiders won 3-1 despite playing for more than an hour with 10 men after Ricky Little got an early red card for a last-man challenge. And Shire missed the penalty.
Shire went bottom in midweek when Peterhead leapfrogged them with a win over Berwick, but they were within a couple of minutes of beating Clyde last week and have lost just one of their last five, a run that saw them taking points from three of the top four.
And spare a festive thought for Shire coach John Coughlin. He's had to evacuate his home in West Lothian for Christmas - because it's sinking.
Subsidence is the culprit and Chateau Coughlin is being rebuilt on more stable foundations. Homer trusts it's not the brickie of his once unhappy acquaintance!  
Meanwhile wee Davie Murray has been rebuilt by physio Bob Findlay after his recent hamstring strain and he was back in the team, as was Jamie Longworth, with Paul Stewart missing out through work commitments and Sean Burns returning to the bench.
Young Owen Ronald, son of Bo'ness boss and ex-Spider Paul, was on the bench for the third time, having come on late against Clyde. And on the bench for Shire was sub keeper Grant Hay, a Queen's community coach.
It was a very jovial atmosphere pre-match. There were plenty of Santa hats on show, while predictably that old Grinch Gulliver was sporting a black and white Bah Humbug hat.
The weather was abysmal, driving wind and rain making things difficult for the creative performers. But Homer and Gulliver will prevail despite soaked laptops. Oh, and it couldn't have been too comfortable for the players, either.
It didn't seem to bother Queen's much as they went close inside 30 seconds. A Shire clearance was deflected to Smith who raced into the box and fired in a low shot which keeper Antell blocked with an outstretched leg for a corner.
And Queen's went close from the flag kick, Meggatt winning the jump at the far post to head narrowly wide.
Play settled down after that although Queen's, with the wind, were on top.
They should have been a goal ahead in 14 minutes. It was Smith again, using his pace to open up a pass for Watt and then firing a low cutback across goal. It beat everyone and landed at the feet of Murray at the far post but he took too long to steady himself and by the time he got the shot off Jackson had got back to block on the line.
Queen's were again racking up the chances. Two minutes later it was Longworth's turn to pass up a glorious chance, taking a square pass from Smith 10 yards out but shooting straight at keeper Antell as he raced from his line.
Stirling was creating space for himself in the middle and his nice pass sent Coyne clear in the inside left position and the striker fired in a low right foot shot that the diving Parry touched beyond his far post.
The action soon returned to the other end and Shire survived a mistake by Winter. He lost possession in the box to Smith but he failed to beat keeper Antell with two attempts.
Hunter was booked for a foul on Meggatt, who then raced through on a pass from Anderson and unleashed a powerful shot from that trusty left peg which Hibs loan keeper Antell did very well to grab and hold low down.
It was all Queen's, but check Homer's earlier remarks. A goal was proving elusive despite excellent chances.
Watt was next to try his luck, blasting wide after a McBride corner had been knocked out to him on the edge of the box.
Longworth had a shot comfortably saved by Antell and then Queen's were unlucky to lose the limping McBride, who was replaced by Gallacher.
Watt was booked for blocking Turner but the wee man was celebrating in 39 minutes when he put Queen's ahead with a well-worked goal. At last!
The bright Longworth was the architect, getting away from his marker in the centre circle with a splendid turn and nutmeg. He drove forward and played in a slide rule pass for Smith, who had his shot blocked by the impressive Antell but only out to Watt, who slotted the ball into an empty net.
It was no more than Queen's deserved for some splendid play and it should have been 2-0 two minutes later, the impressive McGinn driving down the right and finding Smith with a pinpoint cross that the striker somehow headed wide from six yards.
Half-time: Queen's Park 1 East Stirling 0
The half-time consensus was that Shire, who restarted with Maxwell on for Hunter, were very lucky to be only one goal behind but the onus was on Queen's to put this one to bed.

The rain hadn't eased and any wind was in Shire's favour. The pattern hadn't changed, either - Queen's continued to make and miss chances.
Prime culprit Smith burst clear into the box and with Longworth square and screaming for a pass he played what can only be described as a pass-back to the keeper.
A minute later and it was Smith again, being forced wide as he drove into the box. He got a pass off to Watt and his cross was booted clear from Longworth.
Meggatt was booked for hauling back Turner near the halfway line but defensively Queen's were having a comfortable day.
Watt made good space for himself with a jinking run but his curling shot from the edge of the box was well over, then from the other side McGinn's cross was headed wide by Murray (which would have been a collector's item, to be fair to the wee man).
Queen's had started the second half looking surprisingly sluggish and Shire saw more of the ball in our half, without creating any danger.
The chances continued to fall at the other end, Smith making the byeline and then sending a cutback to nobody, and Watt's cross was overhit.
But the dam eventually broke in 67 minutes - and it just had to be Craig Smith who put us 2-0 ahead.
Like the first goal, this one was made by an ex-Kilbirnie man, the tireless Anderson spotting the striker's run and putting the ball on a plate for Smith to fire over Antell with the help of a defender's deflection.
Much less than Queen's deserved but we'll take it nonetheless.
Shire sent on Gibson for Coyne but the action continued largely one-way.
Winter was booked for dissent and four minutes from time Queen's sent on Burns and Daly for Smith and the limping Meggatt.
Longworth went soooo close with an inswinging shot and then Parry had probably his first real save of the match as sub Lurinsky broke clear only for the keeper to block his effort in the last action of the game.
So, all's well that ends well. From Homer and Gulliver, a very Happy Christmas to you all.
Look forward to seeing you at Broadwood on January 2.

 

 

 

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