By The Spider
February 16 2004

Saturday, 14th February, 2004 Queen's Park 1 Stirling Albion 4 (Bells Scottish League - Third Division)

Having secured an extension to his contract, coach Kenny Brannigan now appears to be playing a dangerous game as he seeks to stamp his mark on a squad that he largely inherited.

Already he has lost the services of a disillusioned Steven Moffat and there must be a possibility that Stevie Fallon could go the same way. After all, how many coaches would be brave enough to take the best player and move him into a role he is clearly uncomfortable with before dropping him for failing to perform in that position. Stevie’s body language spoke volumes when he came on yesterday and one suspects that something has to give in that particular battle of wills.

Notwithstanding that Danny Ferry put in another outstanding 90 minutes at sweeper, were he to move back to his accustomed right wingback role, that would allow Ross Clark to escape from a position that he is also clearly struggling to adapt to, and enable him to better support the strikers from an advanced midfield role.

With Paul Harvey not available for next week’s match at Stranraer, it will be interesting to see whether Ross will be given a midfield berth, or whether further tinkering will ensue.

The ironic thing is that Queen’s are not that far away from being a good side, and for much of yesterday’s game they played some excellent passing football with Jonny Whelan having another excellent match in spite of a lack of support from his midfield colleagues.

If The Spiders got off to the best of starts last week, this time it was the opposite as the league leaders delighted their appreciable travelling support by taking the lead in the first minute. Derek Scrimgour must take the blame for lining up his wall incorrectly as David O’Brien added to his impressive scoring record against Queen’s by curling a low direct free kick with his left foot into the near corner of the net from the right wing.

Derek Carcary nearly restored parity in the 4^th minute when he connected at the back post with a deep left wing cross from David McCallum only to see his header strike the outside of the post on its way past for a goal kick.

Two attacks and nearly two goals. And yet, from a Stirling perspective, that became two attacks and two goals in the 7^th minute when Colin McKinnon was left unmarked at the edge of the six yard box to net with a header.

Stirling’s next attack wasn’t until the 21^st minute, but Rowe nearly made it three to the visitors when his back post header hit the side netting.

Derek Carcary came close to reducing the deadlock a minute later, but his netbound shot was deflected for a corner.

Lyle was next to have a go for the visitors, but his 24^th minute shot from 25 yards went straight at Derek Scrimgour.

Queen’s did pull one back in the 32^nd minute when David Stewart headed home a great inswinging free kick from David McCallum. Three minutes later, a superbly struck free kick from Paul Harvey was tipped over the bar at the last minute by Hogarth when at full stretch.

It was now shaping up to be an absorbing context as Queen’s were giving as good as they got, but that position dramatically changed in the 37^th minute when Paul Harvey was sent packing for a moment of madness when someone of his undoubted experience should know better. Whether or not he was deliberately blocked off the ball by Northern Ireland youth internationalist Andy Smith is neither here nor there, as there can be no excuse for raising your hands to an opponent’s face in a threatening or aggressive manner, and it was referee Tumilty’s easiest decision of the day to show the Queen’s midfielder a straight red card for his stupidity.

With Queen’s now down to 10 men, the game was really over from that point onwards, although Queen’s certainly gave their best for the duration.

Nugent drove narrowly past from long range in the 39^th minute, and then Frankie Carroll was shown a yellow card for a hefty challenge on Smith which left the Stirling midfielder in doubt as to what he might expect in any future 50/50 tussles in retribution for his part in Harvey’s dismissal.

Right on the stroke of half time, a curling shot for the far post was superbly pushed away by Derek Scrimgour when at full stretch, and the keeper then had to quickly get up and back-pedal to tip the cross back-in over the bar.

The Queen’s keeper came to the rescue again immediately after the resumption when he dived full length to his right to push away a left foot curler from Wilson.

Stirling went three ahead in the 48^th minute in fortunate circumstances. As Wilson and McCallum raced side by side into the Queen’s penalty area for a loose ball, the Queen’s man accidentally stood on the side of the winger’s right boot sending him crashing to the turf. However, whether intentional or not, it was still a penalty and Scott McLean stepped up to sidefoot the ball past Scrimgour.

Shortly afterwards, Derek Carcary was sent flying out on the left touchline as he threatened to leave Nugent trailing in his wake, and the Stirling defender was quite rightly booked for his indiscretion.

In 57 minutes McKinnon blazed well over from long distance, but Ross Clark forced a good save from Hogarth in the 64^th minute with a clean first time strike from a tight angle.

Kelly should have made it four ten minutes later when he sliced wide from close range, and then Jonny Whelan picked up an unnecessary booking for an innocuous foul which was clearly the referee’s way of trying to impose his will over Jonny who had given the referee a hard time of it towards the end of the first half when the hapless official had clearly lost control of the game.

Stirling were in total command during the last ten minutes of the game as Queen’s tired legs took their toll. Scrimgour saved from McLean at close range, before a mazy dribble from Lyle ended with the ball curling narrowly wide of Scrimgour’s far post.

However, Stirling were not to be denied, and Derek Lyle side-footed home with a minute remaining after he was left unmarked in the middle to receive a cross from the right wing following a breakaway.

With virtually an entire squad now available to choose from, other than Tony Quinn who needs more match practice before being considered ready, and of course the automatically suspended Paul Harvey, it will be interesting to see whether Kenny Brannigan continues to gamble with his future, or whether he is prepared to go back to basics and allow some of his players to play to their strengths.

ENTERTAINMENT VALUE : 4/5

STAR SPIDER :  Danny Ferry (kept driving the team forward)

QUEEN’S PARK : Derek Scrimgour, Danny Ferry,  David Stewart, Ross Clark (Stuart Kettlewell – 65), Richard Sinclair, David McCallum (Stevie Fallon – 75), Paul Harvey, Stevie Relly, Frankie Carroll (Stephen Canning – 56), Jonny Whelan, Derek Carcary

Subs (not used) : David Crawford(G/K), Ally Graham

Scorer(s) : Stewart (32)

Booked : Carroll (43 – dangerous challenge), Whelan (79 – foul)

Red Card : Harvey (37 – striking opponent)

STIRLING ALBION : Myles Hogarth, Paul Hay, Derek Anderson (Stuart Devine – 75), Paul Nugent, George Rowe, Andy Smith (Gary Kelly), Dougie Wilson, Colin McKinnon, Scott McLean (Ross Beveridge – 85), Derek Lyle, David O’Brien

Subs (not used) Scott Morrison (G/K), Craig Ferguson

Scorer(s) : O’Brien (1), McKinnon (8), McLean (48-pen), Lyle (89)

Booked : Nugent (52 – late tackle)

REFEREE :  Mike Tumilty **  (* = inept, ** = poor, *** = mediocre, **** = good, ***** = excellent)