Scottish League Division 2 Play-off Final First Leg
	Queen's Park	4
	Canning (2), Dunlop, Cairney
	East Fife	2
	Young, McDonald
Wednesday, May 9, 2007

HERE'S a little conundrum to get the brain cells working: Who can be away from home at home, yet still feel right at home in their home from home?

Obviously the answer has to be Queen's Park, who decanted to Firhill for the home leg of their play-off final because of Hampden's Uefa commitment.

It was not ideal to lose our home advantage, but it's the price you pay for having the best stadium in the country; and the best interests of Scotland and its football at heart. As a club, we're proud of our stadium, and will make sacrifices to put on showpiece games such as the Uefa Cup Final.

And it's not as if we felt too bad about the wee jaunt to Maryhill, after all, we did have a fairly decent night in the north of the city not so long ago.

That was a cup tie; this was a Cup final in every sense of the word. The prize for the winner of the two legs was promotion. The price for failure was another season in the basement division.

It was a massive opportunity, and yet another massive test for Billy Stark's young Spiders. They had done us proud all season, the question was whether they had two more big performances left in them.

And the worry was that a far more physical, and experienced East Fife side would be one hurdle too many.

Still, optimism mixed nicely with anxiety before kick-off as Homer and Gulliver awaited team news with the rest of the Spider hordes. And there were no real surprises in the starting line-up with the Arbroath XI getting the chance to do the business again.
But there more than a few eyebrows raised at the bench, which was missing Frankie Carroll, but contained Shaun Molloy and Steve Reilly - along with Robert Dunn, Richard Bowers and Alex Cowie.
The boss had said in advance that he had no fears about the Firhill surface, and he was dead right. It was immaculate.
With a perfect surface underfoot and ideal conditions overhead, there was no excuses for not playing football.
Queen’s didn’t need one in th early stages as they ripped into the Fifers.
Within a minute Weatherston romped down the wing and cut the ball back for Cairney. Wee Paolo sadly shot over the top.
Kettlewell was next to sprint clear, but couldn’t quite control the pass from Weatherston..
It was lively, and got downright energetic after five minutes when the ball broke to Trouten on the edge of the box. His volley, however, threatened the floodlights more than the goal.
The Fifers weren’t here just to make up the numbers, and their front pairing of O’Reilly and Nicholas demanded respect.
Twice within a couple of minutes Nicholas caused nerves to flutter in the QP ranks.
First, after nine minutes, he broke on his own and brought a good save out of DC.
Moments later, he robbed Big D and bore down on our goal. Fortunately for Queen’s, his final ball was overhit and O’Reilly couldn’t do any damage.
The Fifers won the first corner after 13 minutes, and had the ball in the net from their next one a couple of minutes later. Referee Underhill had blown long before for a push, and we could all breathe again.
The visitors were enjoying the upper hand at this stage, and Nicholas shot wide when reasonably placed.
We needed to get back on the front foot, and slowly managed that.
Our first corner after 20 minutes came to nothing, as did our first real chance, four minutes later.
Ronald sent Weatherston through on the keeper, but Dodds reacted superbly to block the stiker’s effort.
Just after the half-hour mark came one of those psychic moments from your web team.
Gulliver and Homer were discussing how every loose ball seemed to be landing at the feet of Steve Canning, who wasn’t enjoying his best start to a game.
At that very moment, Weatherston was decked - not for the first time - at the corner of the Fifers’ box.
As Canning stepped up to the ball, Gulliver said to his big chum that this would be an ideal time for Steve to find his touch ... and boy did he do just that.
His free-kick sailed past the wall, and keeper Dodds, to nestle in the corner of the net.
A second goal would be nice, and Queen’s did everything in their power to find one.
Ferry had a shot well saved before a mad scramble saw the same player and Paul Ronald go for the one ball in the box. Neither connected properly, and when the ball broke free, Cairney shot wide.
The pundits always say it’s good to score near half-time. Mick Dunlop obviously agreed as he obliged.
Another corner straight from the training ground saw Canning and Paton exchange passes before the ball was dinked on to Ferry. His first time lob was perfection, and Mick needed no second invitation to head the ball over the line.
Half-time, and 2-0 was a healthy scoreline to take into the break.
More of the same was needed; more of the same we got.
Five minutes into the second period, Weatherston again streaked clear down the left and fed Trouten. His shot beat Dodds, but was scrambled off the line by a defender.
We didn’t have long to wait for the third goal, however, and it’s one that will live long in the memory.
Ferry and Trouten fed Cairney, who was sent crashing to the turf as he tried to break through.
Canning’s first effort from the free kick was charged down, but as the ball spiralled back to him, he met it perfectly on the instep from the edge of the box and sent a beatiful lob over the keeper and into the net.
It was a goal fit to grace any final, and sent the Queen’s fans and players delirious.
Kettlewell then broke as we threatened to bury the tie and Dodds had to stretch, while lying on the ground, to get a fingertip to Ketts’ effort.
By now we were well in control, so obviously it was time for an East Fife goal. It duly arrived on the hour. We had plenty opportunities to clear - took none of them - and paid the penalty. All right, we were distracted by Paton lying prone on the ground, but Young waltzed through to beat DC.
It was a stupid goal to lose, but we soon regrouped and went back on the attack.
We got our reward within 10 minutes with another peach.
Another break down the left, another fine cutback, and Cairney was in perfect position in the penalty box.
Trouten galloped up on his right for support, and the home fans screamed for Paolo to feed him. The East Fife defence anticipated the pass, Paolo waited for them to get out his way ... and then stroked the ball home cool as you like.
Such composure; such class; such cheek - everything you want from a Queen’s Park player.
At 4-1 we were right back in the driving seat, and again made a silly mistake.
Goal hero Cairney dallied on the ball in the middle of the park and was robbed. Mick Dunlop came to his rescue, but gave away a foul in the process. A bread-and-butter cross into the middle, a text-book McDonald header, and it was back to 4-2.
Again Queen’s tried to rally, but it was too big an ask to restore the three-goal cushion.
Ferry came closest after 84 with a curling shot, but Dodds saved comfortably.
Had you offered anybody in the Spiders ranks a two-goal lead to take to Methil before kick-off at Firhill, they would have jumped at it.
We’re still in pole position, but Gulliver can’t help but think we have squandered a glorious opportunity to make the trip to Fife a lot less tense.
Seldom has a Queen’s team scored goals of such quality or looked so menacing going forward.
The plus has got to be that we are more than capable of finishing the job in Fife and giving a record-breaking season the finale it deserves.
The nagging fear is that a couple of sloppy moments over an otherwise inspired 90 minutes at Firhill might come back to haunt us.
But could it really be any other way for the Spiders?
See you all on Saturday ... Forth road bridge and New Bayview crowd limit permitting!