By The Spider
July 29 2004

A detailed summary of the results, appearances and scorers from all of Queen's Park's 2004 pre-season friendly / tour matches, together with a full match report on the latest fixture against Ayr United.

Saturday, 10th July, 2004
Queen's Park  1    Dundee United  1
(Closed Door Pre-Season Friendly) 

QUEEN’S PARK : Steven McGovern, Ross Clark, Stephen Canning, Gavin Rushford, David Stewart, Stevie Reilly, Shaun Molloy, Brian Blair, Stuart Kettlewell, Frankie Carroll, David Clark

Subs : Brian McCue, David Crawford (both G/K), David Weatherston, Bryan Felvus, Paul Harvey, David McCallum, Tony Quinn, Martin Bonnar, Louis Watters, Alan Trouten

Scorer(s) : Graham (19)

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Monday, 12th July, 2004
Queen's Park  1    St. Mirren  1
(Closed Door Pre-Season Friendly) 

QUEEN’S PARK : Steven McGovern, Ross Clark, David McCallum, Gavin Rushford, David Stewart, Stevie Reilly, Tony Quinn, Stuart Kettlewell, Frankie Carroll, Stevie Canning, David Clark

Subs : Brian McCue, David Crawford (both G/K), John Weir, Ally Graham, David Weatherston, Bryan Felvus, Paul Harvey, Martin Bonnar, Louis Watters, Alan Trouten, Andy McGinty, Trialist

Scorer(s) : Carroll (48)

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Thursday, 15th July, 2004
Queen's Park  5    PartickThistle  3
(Closed Door Pre-Season Friendly) 

QUEEN’S PARK : Steven McGovern (Brian McCue - 62), Stuart Kettlewell (Ross Clark - 46), David McCallum (Stuart Kettlewell - 2nd appearance 80), Gavin Rushford, Stevie Reilly (Andy McGinty - 62), David Stewart (Damiano Agostini - 46), Frankie Carroll (Stephen Canning - 2nd appearance 80), Brian Blair (Martin Bonnar - 46), Ally Graham (Bryan Felvus - 2nd appearance 69), Stephen Canning (Tony Quinn - 46), Bryan Felvus (Paul Harvey - 46).

Subs (not used) : none

Scorer(s) : Graham (16), Carroll (35, 37, 62), R.Clark (80)

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Tuesday, 20th July, 2004
SA Pennarossa  1   Queen's Park  7
(Italian Tour) 

QUEEN’S PARK : Steven McGovern (David Crawford - 46), Stuart Kettlewell, David McCallum (Alan Trouten - 46), Gavin Rushford (Andy McGinty - 46), Damiano Agostini (Louis Watters - 46), Shaun Molloy, Brian Blair (Tony Quinn - 46), Ross Clark (Stephen Canning - 46), Ally Graham (David Weatherston - 46), Paul Harvey (Frankie Carroll - 46), David Clark

Subs (not used) : none

Scorer(s) : D.Clark (3, 7), Graham (8, 22, 43), R.Clark (13), Carroll (69)

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Friday, 23rd July, 2004
Forli  2   Queen's Park  0
(Italian Tour) 

QUEEN’S PARK : Steven McGovern (David Crawford - 58), Stuart Kettlewell (Alan Trouten - 41), David McCallum (Stephen Canning - 41), Gavin Rushford (Andy McGinty - 41), Shaun Molloy (Louis Watters - 41), Stevie Reilly (Damiano Agostini - 41), Brian Blair (Tony Quinn - 41), Ross Clark, David Clark (David Weatherston - 41), Paul Harvey (Brian Blair - 2nd appearance 58), Ally Graham (Frankie Carroll 41).

Subs (not used) : none

Scorer(s) : none

Click here to access Alan Rhodes' on the spot match reports for all the above

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Tuesday, 27th July, 2004
Queen's Park  1    Ayr United  1
(Pre-season Friendly) 

Apart from the lucky few who were invited to the three "closed-door" matches, or the Q.P. "ultras" who were ultra-dedicated enough to travel with the Glorious Hoops to their Italian training camp, this low-key affair against 2nd Division Ayr United was the first opportunity for most Spiders' fans to assess their favourites' prospects for the forthcoming season. There was also the opportunity to scrutinise some of the new signings, namely Gavin Rushford (sweeper from Partick Thistle), Shaun Molloy (central defender from Dundee United), Brian Blair (midfielder from East Fife) and, in the second half, Steven McGovern (goalkeeper from Arthurlie) and Tommy Sloan (striker from Ardrossan Winton Rovers). Add to these the names of David Clark (winger from Motherwell) and a conveyor belt of talent from the cup-winning U-19 squad initially beginning with John Weir and Alan Trouten, and you can see that coach Kenny Brannigan has been true to his end of season comments as far as having plenty of new faces on show is concerned.

As for the game itself, it certainly lived up to its low key billing during the first half, although it would be fair to say that the game took on a far more competitive edge after the interval. Stuart Kettlewell had the first pot at goal in the 8th minute, but after some good build up play, he blasted well over from just outside the penalty area on the right hand side.

Mullen did likewise from a similar position for the visitors in the 20th minute, but Frankie Carroll came much closer five minutes later when he screwed himself backwards to reach a cross which was just behind him to head the ball narrowly over the bar This followed some great one-touch play between Stevie Reilly, Stephen Canning and Ally Graham before Canning's final delivery into the box.

Kean should have opened the scoring just after the half hour mark, but his weak close range volley was easily saved by Brian McCue. A minute later the Ayr defence was posted missing as Frankie Carroll was sent through on the right hand side of the penalty area but, with tiime to either pick his spot or advance unchallenged on goal, the Queen's striker snatched at his shot and sliced it even further right of the goal than he was.

Immediately afterwards, Brian Blair tried an audacious first time drive from a Carroll lay back only to slice his wayward left foot effort out for a throw-in!

To prove that ring-rustiness applied to both sides, Mullen did the hard bit when he intercepted a Gavin Rushford pass across his own back line and advanced on goal to commit McCue, but then he completely over-ran the ball at pace and not even referee Boyle was going to be taken in by his exaggerated dive over McCue in the process.

As both sides emerged unaltered after the interval, they were less than enthusiastically greeted by the very small crowd who had yet to see anything to justify the hefty admission charges for a game at this level. All that was to change in the 48th minute when lean mean fighting machine Ally Graham rose majestically to glance an inch perfect David McCallum free kick backwards into the helpless Roy's top right hand corner.

Graham nearly returned the compliment in the 51st minute when he showed great awareness to nod the ball into the path of the supporting David McCallum, but Roy stood up well to the ferocious close range strike to divert it for a corner. Five minutes later, the eager McCallum sliced another effort wide.

Former Spider Dunning's first touch of the ball after coming on for the visitors took him inside the challenges of three of his recent colleagues, before he threaded an immaculate pass into the path of Brown who should have scored but his weak sidefoot effort was well saved by fellow substitute Steven McGovern.

The pace of the game now had noticeably quickened, and it one or two meaty challenges now began to manifest themselves. From one of these, there was a loud crack as Stephen Canning challenged fairly for a 50/50 ball with an equally committed opponent, and it was not surprising to see a stretcher being quickly called for with the post match diagnosis confirming the immediately suspected broken leg. Insult was added to the misfortune by referee Boyle's stupidity by awarding Ayr a free kick whilst Canning rolled about in obvious distress, because had Stevie's challenge been over the top as the award of the foul suggested, he would not have come off worst in the incident!

Ayr were now emerging the stronger side as both team's made loads of personnel changes, and Kean hooked wide from a great position only a minute after Canning's enforced departure.

The equaliser wasn't long delayed, and a fine goal it was too with substitute Craig Conway cutting in from the left wing before clipping an inch perfect low shot across the outstretched dive of Steven McGovern who was unable to reach the ball before it rebounded in off his far post.

Ayr could have taken the lead in the 82nd minute when they were awarded a penalty for what seemed a completely innocuous challenge right on the edge of the Queen's penalty area, but having been handed such a gift it was quickly squandered as McGovern threw himself low to his left to make a fine two handed save.

The last chance of the game again fell to the visitors with five minutes remaining, but Chaplain headed over at the back post from a deep right wing corner.

Whilst there is initially every sign that further progress up the League table can be made this season, a big question mark still hangs over the teams ability to score goals against defences that will generally be far better organised than those played against to date. The key to Queen's making a genuine promotion challenge, as opposed to a hard to beat mid-table outfit, will ultimately lie in the outcome of overtures currently being made to Derek Carcary by Rangers. If the youngster is keen to benefit from the full time training on offer, it would be churlish of Queen's to refuse him that opportunity, but a win-win situation for all parties could emerge if a stronger and even fitter player was loaned back to Queen's for the rest of the season.

In any event, a niggling ligament injury makes the youngster doubtful for this coming Saturday's opening game of the season when newly relegated Stenhousemuir visit Hampden in the first round of the Challenge Cup. Hopefully home advantage will allow Queen's to progress to the next round, the possible defensive barrier formed by former Spiders Steven Moffat and Stevie Fallon notwithstanding.

ENTERTAINMENT VALUE : 2/5

STAR SPIDER(S) :  Stevie Reilly & David McCallum (always managed to find space and time for themselves)

QUEEN’S PARK :  Brian McCue (Steven McGovern 74), Stuart Kettlewell, David McCallum, Gavin Rushford, Stevie Reilly, Shaun Molloy, Ross Clark (Tony Quinn - 71), Brian Blair, Ally Graham, Stevie Canning (Alan Trouten - 69), Frankie Carroll (Tommy Sloan - 57)

Subs (not used) :  Damiano Agostini.

Scorer(s) : Graham (48)

Booked : none

AYR UNITED :  Ludovic Roy, William Lyle (Marc Smyth - 54), Stewart McGrady, Scott Chaplain, Barry McLaughlin, David Craig, Paddy Connolly (Graeme Brown - 58), Bryan Mullen (Allan Dunning - 54), Stewart Kean, Michael O'Neill (Craig Conway - 54), Darren Henderson (Andrew Ferguson - 68).

Subs (not used) :  John Hillcoat (G/K)

Scorer(s) : Conway (77)

Booked :  none

REFEREE : Chris Boyle **   (* = inept, ** = poor, *** = mediocre, **** = good, ***** = excellent)