Scottish League Division 3
	Queen's Park	5
	Weatherston, Kettlewell, Trouten, Ferry (2)
	Albion Rovers	0
Saturday,March 3, 2007

THEY must have put something in the water. All of a sudden there's talk of the 'P' word in the Queen's Park ranks.
Our in-house anorak Gulliver was looking back through the records today to see when Queen's were last top of the league.
That was the prize at stake IF the Wee Rovers could be beaten, and IF Berwick lost to Dumbarton.
Homer just managed to refrain from pointing out to his wee chum that IF God had made his Auntie differently she might have been his uncle.
But the message got through that we shouldn't be getting too far ahead of ourselves.
It will be difficult enough to secure a play-off place, never mind win the title, so let's see how things pan out.
There's no doubt we have been going well, with three consecutive victories, and clean sheets to boot.
However, our local rivals still haven't given up on the prizes, either, and they knew they needed a win today to get themselves back on track.
Their cause wasn't helped by the absence of influential defender Gordon Lennon - one of the better players in our division - especially when they were facing the league's second most prolific goalscorers.
Yes, believe it or not, Queen's have scored 40 times this season, and only Rovers with 47 have more.
Homer can't help thinking how many goals we could have scored had we taken even half of the chances we have created.
Still, let's not be too greedy. One goal, any goal, would keep us happy today, as long as we kept the back door firmly shut.
The return of Richard Sinclair to full fitness gave the boss a dilemma in that department. How could he drop Agostini or Dunlop, who have performed so heroically in recent weeks. Yet, by the same token, could he leave Sinky on the bench?
Such are the decision managers live and die by. And it wasn't the only one facing Billy Stark.
The boss has a great regard for the talent of Robert Dunn, and he has been showing signs of form recently. But he hasn't been a hit with many of the Hampden faithful, so there was much speculation about the front pairing as well before kick-off.
In the event, Sinky and Dunn were both on the bench. The defence stayed the same, while Paul Ronald replaced Dunn and the injured Bowers dropped out the squad. Notable in the Rovers side was former Spiders front man Bryan Felvus.
Queen's started well, as black clouds drifted over to obscure the earlier sunshine. In three minutes, Cairney won a tackle in midfield, fed Canning on the left and he sent a delightful ball over Moffat and into the path of the advancing Kettlewell, who burst into the box and sent a left foot shot just wide.
Rovers had been first to show, with a free kick from the right which Queen's cleared, but the visitors did better in six minutes and could have taken the lead as Creaney got his head to a cross and Crawford held it at full stretch.
The keeper was in action again a minute later, this time getting down to hold a shot from Chaplain from the edge of the box after Cairney had lost possession.
And it was Chaplain again in nine minutes testing Crawford, with a header from 10 yards which went straight at the keeper.
There was no question Rovers had made the more impressive start and so far Queen's had not settled into their usual passing game.
There was a stampede from the front seats in the stand as the rains came. There was a youth event at Lesser this morning and the kids and their parents had been invited to the game. Local knowledge would have alerted them to avoid the front seats when the clouds came. And those clouds released what Gulliver described as a mini-monsoon.
It must have woken Queen's from their slumbers, because they took the lead with a Weatherston special in 16 minutes.
Does Homer have to describe it? Well, if you have been paying attention, you will have been able to read about the Weatherston special in each one of the last three Queen's match reports.
It was Weatherston's fourth goal in successive games and it was trademark. Ferry fires a lovely pass inside full back Moffat, Weatherston is onto it like a blue you-know-what fly, and he bursts into the box before sending a low shot past the keeper. Glorious.
The rains stopped - believe me, only momentarily - and Queen's began to play a bit with the confidence a goal brings.
Rovers were still dangerous, though, and Crawford held again from Creaney.
But it was the Spiders who came closest again in 25 minutes. Trouten twinkle-toed his way along the right byeline - all the time being pulled back - and a delightful dummy gave him time to fire in a low cross which was booted away at the second attempt.
Queen's appealed for a penalty, but ref Underhill no doubt played advantage - although we will have to wait to learn the explanation he planted on irate coach Billy Stark after calling him to the touchline to require the QP man to cool his jets.
Nicoll was booked for a blatant body-check on Trouten, which was as good a way as any of stopping twinkle-toes, if illegal.
And it was Trouten who should have put Queen's 2-0 up in 34 minutes. Ferry's forward pass was cleverly flicked on by Weatherston into the path of Trouten, who was clear into the box one-on-one with the keeper but shot against the Rovers man and won only a corner.
That's what Rovers won in 42 after a great diving headed clearance by Canning. As Homer said, Rovers were still in this game and, as every Queen's fan knows, one is never enough (whether it's goals or pints).
An opportunist effort from Ronald almost brought a second a minute from the break. Canning played him in and his overhead chip almost deceived Scott, the Albion keeper only just managing to knock the ball away with his fingertips.
Half-time: Queen's Park 1, Albion Rovers 0

Rovers changed things at the interval, replacing Creaney with McGoldrick. The half-time tea chat was that Rovers were being allowed too many chances, and right from the kick-off they were at it again with a cross into the box that found no takers.
A minute later, Weatherston looked to have beaten the offside trap on a Ferry pass, but the farside linesman had other ideas and the flag went up. I defy any linesman to watch when the ball is being played by Ferry AT THE SAME TIME as he should be watching Weatherston take off. It's not the linesman's fault, it's an impossibility.
What was not an impossibility was the collective joy of the home support as Queen's went 2-0 up in 53 minutes. And another fine goal it was, Ronald playing Kettlewell in and the young run-all-day midfielder fairly cracking a shot past keeper Scott. So, if one is never enough, is two? This is Queen's we're talking about, but a very resolute Queen's it has to be said, playing with an excellent spirit and commitment.
Weatherston showed the ball to Lennox - Moffat must have been delighted the flyer had switched wings - and then left him for dead with a burst to the line that ended with a low cross which Nicoll at full stretch took away from the toes of the inrushing Trouten for a corner.
Rovers sent on Chisholm for the injured Lennox just after the hour, and the sub was left chasing Kettlewell as another ball over the top heralded a Queen's charge. It was another Ronald pass which set Ketts on his way and, while he doesn't have Weatherston's pace - who does? - he had the sense to cut across the defenders to stay on the ball, finishing with a shot which just sailed beyond the far post.
The besieged Moffat was booked for a foul on Weatherston - now there's a surprise - in 65, and then the superb Weatherston won a penalty from which Queen's went out of sight.
It was a needless foul by the sub, Chisholm, as he had already halted Weatherston's run to the byeline and even turned the striker away from goal. But his rash tackle upended the Spiders man and Trouten had the pleasure of making it three from the spot. Yes, three will be enough, even for Homer.
The excellent Weatherston and Ronald, who had teamed up magnificently, were given a rest in 75 minutes, being replaced by Dunn and Carroll, and the two subs promptly helped Queen's go 4-0 up with their first touches.
Dunn moved the ball on to Carroll and wee Frankie set up Ferry for a tap in at the far post. Great stuff. And even that wee anorak Gulliver says four will be enough.
We'll take five, of course, and - oh glorious - it promptly arrived in 81 minutes Paton swung over a free kick from the left to the back stick and Watson, under pressure from Dunlop, could only head the ball back across his own goal and Ferry had a simple header past the overworked Scott.
The wee anorak says that's the fourth time this season Queen's have hit five - against East Stirling, Montrose and, of course, you've guessed it, ABERDEEN!
It will certainly help the goal difference, which is now the best in the division, and sets us up nicely for next week's cruncher at Berwick. Come on you Queen's.