By The Spider
December 6 2004

Saturday, 4th December, 2004 Queen’s Park 1 East Fife 2 (Bells Scottish League – Third Division) (Picture from qpfc.com) Again Queen's failure to capitalise on all their pressure was their undoing as East Fife clung on to take all three points.

Two home games in a row had given Queen’s the opportunity to consolidate their position in 3^rd place in the League, but only one point has been gained and The Spiders can consider themselves fortunate indeed that other results have gone their way to leave them in fourth place, just the one point behind Montrose.

As in the previous game against East Stirlingshire, Queen’s looked lethargic throughout much of this game, and it can only be hoped that this is down to the after-effects of the flu virus which has swept through the ranks.

The visitors took the game to Queen’s in the opening stages, and only some good defending kept David Crawford from becoming quickly involved. It took 12 minutes for Queen’s to make any headway, but Ross Clark sclaffed his shot well wide from 30 yards out. Then some good one-touch play involving several players was spoiled by Stuart Kettlewell’s poor finish when he sliced wide from a good position.

East Fife’s first hint of menace came in the 19^th minute when Brash put in a quick cross and Mitchell headed marginally over. The visitors did take the lead seven minutes later though when Brian Fairbairn bent a direct free kick over David Crawford’s defensive wall to leave the Queen’s ‘keeper grasping at air as he dived in vain towards his bottom right hand corner.

Shortly afterwards, Stevie Reilly was booked for persistent fouling as the Queen’s defence struggled to cope with the fleet footed pace of Nicholas and Fairbairn.

Queen’s managed to gain a grip of the game for the next quarter of an hour and managed to create some decent enough chances. Morrison saved a low shot from Frankie Carroll, and then the ‘keeper was relieved to see a measured chip from Stuart Kettlewell just clear the bar at his far post following a powerful run from the midfielder.

A header from Frankie Carroll went narrowly wide, and then a 30-yard sizzler from Brian Blair whistled over Morrison’s crossbar.

East Fife had completely dropped out of the game at this stage, so it was completely out of the blue when they added a second goal two minutes before the interval when woeful marking allowed Greig McDonald to score with a free header from a Fairbairn left wing corner.

To set the seal on a miserable first half for Queen’s, Alan Trouten was booked for a late challenge right on the half time whistle.

Queen’s had begun the game along the usual lines, the only change being the inclusion of Brian Blair in place of the flu-ridden Paul Harvey. However, it was clear that changes were urgently needed and Damiano Agostini and Bryan Felvus were thrown into the fray in place of the ineffectual Ross Clark and Ally Graham.

The changes certainly added more energy to Queen’s, and with play being switched from side to side to make good use of Hampden’s width, at last East Fife began to look stretched.

Bryan Felvus headed a Shaun Molloy cross over, doing well to even get his head to the ball, and then Mark Ferry took a wild swipe to balloon the ball over the bar. A clever through ball from Frankie Carroll sent Stuart Kettlewell racing through on goal, but his toe-poke past the advancing Morrison just cleared the ‘keeper’s left hand post.

The same player then sent a superb dipping shot over Morrison, but the ball missed the far post by a matter of inches. Mark Ferry was next to have a go with a drive over the bar in the 68^th minute, but he did pull one back seven minutes later when his powerful shot was deflected beyond Morrison.

Frankie Carroll should have equalised two minutes later, but his close range flick from a low Trouten cross just evaded the back post.

A powerful shot from Shaun Molloy was deflected into the side netting, and from the resultant left wing corner Bryan Felvus saw his flashing near post header cleared off the line at the back post.

As Queen’s kept up their incessant pressure, Brian Blair sent a volley over before Brash was booked for a crude late tackle from behind on Bryan Felvus.

As the game went into its extra four minutes of time added on for injuries/time-wasting, Queen’s made one last push but Mark Ferry’s header lacked sufficient power to trouble Morrison and the visitors held in to take all three points. It was just a shame that Queen’s had started the game so slowly, or this is a match that could well have been won.

It will not have escaped Billy Stark’s notice that both goals were lost from set-pieces, and this is an aspect that will need to be worked on during the week if Queen’s are to have any hope of being included in next Saturday evening’s 3^rd round cup draw following the visit south to high flying Stranraer who seem destined for the First Division if they maintain their current form.

But anything is possible in the cup, and if Paul Harvey is able to return to weave his magic then Stranraer may get more of a game than they perhaps are bargaining for following the last two displays.

ENTERTAINMENT VALUE :  2/5

STAR SPIDER(S) :  Stuart Kettlewell (couldn’t be faulted for effort)

QUEEN’S PARK : David Crawford, Alan Trouten, Shaun Molloy, Stevie Reilly, Richard Sinclair, Brian Blair, Stuart Kettlewell, Ross Clark (Damiano Agostini – 46), Ally Graham (Bryan Felvus – 46), Frankie Carroll, Mark Ferry

Subs (not used) :  Stevie McGovern (G/K), Gavin Rushford, Tony Quinn

Scorer(s) : Ferry (75)

Booked : Reilly (30 – persistent fouling), Trouten (45 – late challenge)

EAST FIFE : Scott Morrison, Michael Renwick, Kris Brash, Craig Lumsden, Kevin Bain, Gary Kelly, Sean Paliczka (Kevin Steele – 72), Greig McDonald, Steven Nicholas (Stephen Tarditi – 85), Jonathan Mitchell, Brian Fairbairn

Subs (not used) : Trialist (G/K), Paul Gaughan, Les Byle

Scorer(s) :   Fairbairn (26), McDonald (43)

Booked : Brash (87 – late tackle)

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