By The Spider
August 18 2003

Saturday, 16th August, 2003 Queen's Park 5 Elgin City 2 (Bells Scottish League - Third Division)

This was a memorable game for many reasons, not the least of which was the home debut of midfielder Stevie Reilly who re-wrote the history books by becoming one of only 10 players to ever net a hat trick of League penalties. He therefore follows in the footsteps of Gerry Colgan who scored all three of his in the second half against Brechin City at Hampden on 18th September, 1976 and two of these are shown below (courtesy of David McNeil).

That season, Gerry went on to net 13 goals, and all bar his opening goal of the season were from the spot as he went on to net 12 consecutive penalties before leaving the Club in May to sign for Clydebank. Hopefully Stevie can go on to emulate that record this term!

So what else happened at the first home game of the new season?

Well, the fun started as early as the second minute when Gallagher brought down the tenacious Steven Reilly inside the penalty area with something akin to a rugby tackle, and the Queen's midfielder comfortably netted from the spot sending goalkeeper Pirie to his left whilst putting the ball in the opposite corner. Although no yellow card appeared to have been shown to Gallagher, events later on would reveal that to have been the case.

Another former Spider also went into the book five minutes later when a dummy run over the ball from Clark induced Martin to encroach within the minimum ten yards distance from the stationary ball. Elgin's first scoring opportunity presented itself in the 17th minute, but Murphy's direct free kick was deflected over the bar by the wall.

Three minutes later Bone hooked a shot towards the top corner, but Scrimgour was equal to it and comfortably held it above his head. Queen's responded in the 26th minute when Ross Clark met a Jonny Whelan cross on the run, but he didn't quite connect with the ball properly and it bobbled into Pirie's arms.

A minute later Pirie was brought into action again, this time when he saved well from David Menelaws and then again to nip the ball off the toes of Ross Clark after an Ally Graham head flick had sent Clark through with only the 'keeper to beat.

Back came Elgin and a great early volleyed cross from Martin on the right was met first time by Bone who hooked his effort narrowly wide of the target. However, Elgin were not to be denied for long, and after Danny Ferry had headed a corner clear of his own penalty area, the ball was headed back over the advancing Queen's defence to allow Steve McCormick to reach the ball just before Scrimgour and volley it into the top left hand corner of the goal.

Stung by this setback, Queen's began to apply increased pressure and Bone was booked in the 38th minute for a late challenge on Whelan. A minute later, Queen's regained the lead when Jonny Whelan curled a first time effort into the far corner from just outside the area to catch Pirie off his guard.

Queen's could have gone even further ahead seconds later when David Menelaws had the opportunity to lob Pirie who was 15 yards out of his goal, but the energetic striker sliced his left foot shot well wide. Two minutes before half time, Danny Ferry became the first Queen's player to be booked when he complained too strongly to the stand side assistant referee about the award of a corner that never was.

Right before the half time whistle sounded, Queen's had another opportunity but Stevie Reilly hooked his shot well over the bar.

Queen's had begun the first half clearly looking to catch their opponents cold, and their success in this regard was repeated in the second minute the second half when the third ex-Spider, White, conceded another penalty by needlessly barging David Menelaws in the back whilst challenging for a high ball inside the area. Up stepped Stevie Reilly to produce an exact duplicate of his first half effort.

Although Martin was not involved in the game that much, whenever he did get the ball, he looked extremely dangerous and a 50th minute fierce volley across the face of the Queen's goal caused considerable consternation which only increased when Stevie Fallon stepped over the ball right in front of goal not realising that an opponent was lying in wake at the back post. Fortunately, Murphy's reflexes were not up to the mark, and he was unable to direct his effort on target.

As well as having an extremely attack-minded midfield, Coach Kenny Brannigan encourages his wing-backs to get forward at every opportunity and this was exemplified in the 55th minute when Danny Ferry ran to the left bye-line before crossing to his counterpart Allan Dunning whose stretched volley dipped narrowly over the bar. Almost immediately, a great first time through ball from Ally Graham sent Stevie Reilly charging in on goal, but the midfielder just lost out in a 50/50 challenge for the ball with Pirie on the edge of his area.

Just after the hour mark, Ross Clark tried a speculative volley from long range, but it flew well over Pirie's bar. Three minutes later though and the game was put beyond doubt when Elgin conceded their third penalty of the afternoon. There seemed absolutely no danger when Ross Clark challenged for a loose ball right on the left  hand corner of the Elgin penalty box but Gallagher was a split-second late with his challenge which sent Clark tumbling with the ball heading out of play at some speed. Technically, as the offence took place inches inside the box, it was a penalty but it did seem somewhat harsh on Gallagher that he should be shown a yellow card followed by a red one to indicate the effect of his earlier booking.

There was little doubt as to whom the spot kick would be entrusted, and there was little doubt as to the outcome as far as Stevie Reilly was concerned as he emphatically despatched the ball into Pirie's bottom right hand corner for the third time. There was just no keeping Reilly out of the action, but he blotted his copybook in the 72nd minute when he was booked for a trip on Martin.

Having already introduced two substitutes a minute after the fourth goal had gone in, Kenny Brannigan had committed his third one a minute prior to Reilly's caution. The diminutive figure was unrecognisable to most, but the "trialist" was in fact Derek Carcary who had been a regular for the Under-16s last season and therefore was indeed a rapid promotion! The youngster nearly had a sensational start to his Hampden career when he got on the end of a deep dipping Ross Clark cross from the right wing but his downwards header bounced back up into Pirie's outstretched hands to deny Derek's very first touch of the ball its ultimate reward.

His second touch was almost as close as his early left foot shot from a Ross Clark crossfield pass took Pirie by surprise and the 'keeper could only watch as the ball trickled narrowly past his left hand post.

Elgin substitute Ogboke was proving something of a handful and his 79th minute left foot shot on the turn whizzed narrowly over Derek Scrimgour's top right hand corner with the Queen's 'keeper completely unable to do anything about it had it been on target.

In the 81st minute, Ally Graham looked to be out of options with three opponents surrounding him inside the Elgin penalty area, but the big man somehow evaded them to screw the ball across the face of goal where Jonny Whelan met it first time at the back post only to be denied by Pirie's forehead which blocked the ball on the line. The 'keeper had barely time to get back to his feet before Stuart Kettlewell sent in a screamer from the edge of the area which only just cleared the bar.

Three minutes later Queen's got the fifth goal that their fans had been demanding when Jonny Whelan, looking suspiciously offside, took a short pass from Stevie Fallon and convincingly tucked it behind the advancing Pirie.

Elgin got themselves a late consolation with two minutes remaining when Alex Bone accepted a square pass at the back post to gently sidefoot the ball with his left foot  into Scrimgour's net via his right hand post.

For a Queen's midfielder to score a hat trick is a remarkable enough event in itself these days, but for two to do so would really be going into the realms of fantasy. However, Jonny Whelan nearly turned that situation into reality when, with just a minute remaining, he thrashed a 25 yard free kick back off Pirie's crossbar.

In the long run this may prove to be an extremely significant confidence boosting result but, at the end of the day, it's only three points and once the post-match euphoria has died down, Kenny Brannigan will begin plotting the downfall of Albion Rovers whom Queen's visit next Saturday. 'Rovers are also going well and are neatly tucked in behind Queen's in third place, but on this showing The Spiders should have nothing to fear.                              

ENTERTAINMENT VALUE : 5/5                       

STAR SPIDER : Stevie Reilly (but Ally Graham and Ross Clark were not that far behind)

QUEEN’S PARK : Derek Scrimgour, Allan Dunning (Stuart Kettlewell - 65), Danny Ferry, Richard Sinclair, Damiano Agostini (Stephen Moffat - 65), Stevie Fallon, Ross Clark, Stevie Reilly, Ally Graham, Jonny Whelan, David Menelaws (Derek Carcary (TR) - 71)

Subs (not used) : Brian McCue (TR - GK), Derek Carcary

Scorer(s) : Reilly (2, 47 and 64 mins - all pens), Whelan (39 and 84 mins)

Booked : Ferry (43 - dissent), Reilly (72 - trip)

ELGIN CITY : Martin Pirie, David Hind, John Gallagher, Jamie White (Neil McLean - 58), Robert Coulter, John Allison, Willie Martin, Steve McCormick (Ryan McMullan - 81), Alex Bone, Kevin Steele (Chris Ogboke - 46), Scott Murphy,

Subs (not used) : Peter Hamilton (GK), John Mackay

Scorer(s) : McCormick (35 mins), Bone (88 mins)

Booked : Gallagher (2 - professional foul,  64 - late challenge), Martin (7 - unsporting behaviour), Bone (38 - late challenge)

REFEREE :  Ian Fyfe ***** (* = inept, ** = poor, *** = mediocre, **** = good, ***** = excellent)