Trouten (qpfc.com)

Most Queen's fans would have been happy with a top half place at the turn of the year if asked for their views at the start of the season, so why the current gloom at occupying 5th place? The answer is that Queen's are far better than that, but they are still two players short of the finished article.

Whilst the "Goals For" column makes for reasonably happy reading, if either Frankie Carroll or Ally Graham get a serious injury then much of our current playing strategy can be thrown straight in the bin. At the other end, we are badly lacking in a replacement for David McCallum, and whilst Shaun Molloy does a sterling job in that role, it does not appear to be his natural position and he has looked far more comfortable earlier in the season in a central defensive berth.

The advent of the New Year will give Billy Stark his first real opportunity to use his contacts in the game and hopefully he can either sign, or obtain on loan, a left wingback and a decently built young striker who can be groomed to take over from big Ally in the closing stages of games.

This latest home defeat exemplified the urgent need to acquire players in both those positions.

Cowdenbeath were first to show in the 2nd minute with a long range shot from Shields which comfortably cleared the bar, but it was Queen's who took the lead six minutes later with a swift breakaway. Frankie Carroll fed Alan Trouten who was playing in a very advanced role on the left, and the youngster sped into the visitors' area before despatching a left foot shot under the advancing Fleming.

The attack minded formation had paid immediate dividends, but it also had a weakness which Cowden were quick to exploit just four minutes later when a diagonal pass from Gribben played in Liam Buchanan to the area where a left back would normally be found, and the midfielder swept a low shot across David Crawford and into the far corner.

A minute later Stevie Reilly was booked for obstruction as he struggled to match the pace of Buchanan.

Then Paul Harvey played a quick through ball to Frankie Carroll who got just too good a connection with his shot which he overhooked beyond the far post. Another piece of quick thinking from Paul Harvey nearly caught out Fleming as the midfield maestro's quick free kick sped inches past the 'keeper's left hand post as he dived full length across his line.

Harvey looked eager, but overly so in referee MacDonald's view resulting in a 25th minute booking for a tackle from behind.

The pace of Shields was quite incredible at times as he skipped past tackles with ease, particularly so in that aforementioned left side of Queen's defence, and one such run in the 35th minute brought a second goal for Cowden when Darren Gribben scored the easiest goal of his career by sidefooting the ball into the empty net from six yards after Shields had laid the ball on a plate for him with a slide rule cut-back from the Queen's bye-line.

A polite word to describe Cowden's defending would be resolute, and it was very frustrating for all Hampdenites to see numerous tackles go unpunished by referee MacDonald when they were just as bad as the ones that had earned Queen's their two prior bookings. Centre half McKeown finally got his yellow card in the 42nd minute for a blatant obstruction on Trouten at the edge of the area, and yet Fusco's deliberate scything down of Ferry in the same move was ignored by the inconsistent official.

It was important that Queen's assert themselves after the interval, and they did so in style. Mark Ferry, Paul Harvey and Ross Clark combined to play in Alan Trouten again and, this time from close range the youngster cheekily stuck the ball between Fleming's legs to put his side back on level terms.

Trouten nearly grabbed his hat trick in the 49th minute, but this time Fleming was able to save at point blank range. Then it was the turn of Frankie Carroll to be thwarted by the 'keeper in near identical circumstances, before Ross Clark pulled a low shot wide from a good position.

Encouraged by those let-offs, Cowden regained their lead in the 64th minute with a superb solo effort from Darren Gribben who cut in from the same Queen's suspect area leaving Sinclair, Reilly and Rushford trailing in his wake before firing an unstoppable left foot shot past a bewildered David Crawford.

Mark Ferry curled a powerful right foot shot high and wide in the 74th minute before Queen's showed their lack of attacking options by bringing on retired midfielder Jonny Whelan to play up front in place of the tiring Ally Graham. Then Alan Trouten was booked for a deliberate trip from behind on Shields who was threatening to waltz past the entire defence on his own. Gribben's free kick dipped narrowly over the bar.

With ten minutes remaining McGregor was booked for dissent as Cowden abandoned any further plans for offence to try and close out the game. Queen's were restricted to one brief sight of goal with two minutes remaining, but Fleming was able to beat away Frankie Carroll's powerful shot on the run from 18 yards out.

Gavin Rushford capped a poor display by his standards by earning a yellow card in stoppage time for a late challenge, and then Williams received a similar fate for doing likewise on Stuart Kettlewell who had also enjoyed a miserable afternoon. One bright note was the reappearance of Club captain Danny Ferry after a long absence through injury. Hopefully it won't be too long before he is challenging for a place in the starting line up.

On Ne'erday Queen's mettle will be severely tested by the physical presence of Albion Rovers at Cliftonhill, and much will depend on The Spiders' ability to keep the ball moving thereby avoiding the likelihood of being outmuscled by a side who are currently so poor that East Stirling are threatening to overtake them!

ENTERTAINMENT VALUE : 3/5

STAR SPIDER(S) :  Alan Trouten (deserved it for his two sublime finishes alone)

QUEEN’S PARK : David Crawford, Alan Trouten, Richard Sinclair, Stevie Reilly (Danny Ferry - 83), Gavin Rushford, Paul Harvey, Stuart Kettlewell, Ross Clark(David weatherston - 85), Ally Graham (Jonny Whelan - 74), Frankie Carroll, Mark Ferry

Subs (not used) :  Stevie McGovern (G/K), Brian Blair

Scorer(s) : Trouten (8, 46)

Booked : Reilly (13 - obstruction), Harvey (25 - tackle from behind), Trouten (76 - professional foul), Rushford (90 - late challenge)

COWDENBEATH : Allan Fleming, Gary Fusco, Andy Campbell, ChrisNewall, John McKeown (Darren Miller - 90), Darren McGregor, Liam Buchanan (Stuart Baird{TR}- 67), Stewart Fraser (TR), Dene Shields, Darren Gribben, David Williams

Subs (not used) : Scott Findlay (G/K), Ryan McCallum, Jonathan Bain

Scorer(s) : Buchanan (12), Gribben (35, 64)

Booked : McKeown (42 - deliberate obstruction), McGregor (80 - dissent), Williams (90 - late challenge)

REFEREE : Scott MacDonald **  (* = inept, ** = poor, *** = mediocre, **** = good, ***** = excellent)

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