By The Spider
August 17 2002

Saturday, 17th August, 2002 Queen’s Park 0 East Fife 0 (Scottish League - Third Division)

The kick-off for this game was delayed for a few minutes, sadly not to allow a big crowd in, but presumably because of a clash of socks as East Fife took the field looking somewhat more colourful than usual wearing what appeared to be Queen's blue reserve ones!

Whilst Chris Fisher's calf injury kept him out of the squad (judging by the way he was hirpling around the stand he must be a major doubt for Tuesday), there was a place on the bench for Cowboy's latest signing, 29 year old former Stirling Albion midfielder Craig Taggart from Ross County. Following his impressive performance in midweek, Willie Martin made the starting line up for the first time this season at the expense of Paddy Gallagher who was listed as a substitute.

In the opening seconds, a deft chip into the area from Jimmy Allan left Stephen Canning one on one with the goalkeeper but, exactly as he had done in the games against Elgin and Montrose in the same circumstances, his attempted chip failed to clear the fingers of the on-rushing 'keeper.

Willie Martin was looking anxious to please John McCormack and prove that he was worthy of his place (perhaps too eager for his own good at times as he gave the impression of someone who thinks that they need to give a man of the match performance to justify their inclusion), and he fairly put himself about in the early stages.

In the 3rd minute he latched onto a John Gemmell knockdown to hook a right foot shot over his shoulder from 12 yards, but it was deflected for a corner. A minute later he got onto the end of a deep Danny Ferry cross at the back post, but instead of attempting to knock it back across the face of the goal, he tried for an impossible angle into the top corner only to send the ball well wide.

John Gemmell brought out a save from Butter in the 7th minute with a powerful left foot shot whilst, at the other end, Tony Mitchell was finally called into action in the 9th minute when he came out to punch away a corner. Farnan's attempt from the clearance soared over the bar.

On the quarter of an hour mark, Willie Martin again got on the end of another deep cross from Ferry. Bringing the ball down, he worked his way well to the byeline and along it to a point right in front of Butter's right hand post, but again instead of putting the ball across the face of the goal, Willie tried too hard to impress and his clip past Butter only succeeded in finding the side netting. Then, two minutes later, Craig Farnan took objection to a firm challenge from the energetic Queen's striker and lashed out at him with his boot with referee Winter standing just yards away and with a clear view of the incident. Sensibly, Willie walked away from the incident rather than cloud the issue and the mandatory red card was quickly produced to leave the visitors reduced to 10 men with over 70 minutes of the game remaining.

Sadly, as often happens, this made the game less of a spectacle and East Fife (as do every team in such circumstances) re-organised themselves to put as many men between the ball and their goal as possible to try to hold out for a draw, relying on the occasional breakaway for the chance to perhaps sneak one. Whilst Queen's are a battling side who compete well for 90 minutes, they are still somewhat short on the creative side and playing against 10 men ironically made it more difficult for them to get behind the East Fife defence, although of course it also meant that the defence would be under far less pressure too.

What became a lengthy catalogue of half chances for Queen's began in the 28th minute when Danny Ferry's snapshot narrowly whizzed by Butter's right hand post. John Gemmell then got on the end of a 37th minute John Gallagher cross to head strongly, but his effort also drifted past the same post as Ferry's earlier attempt.

Five minutes before half time, a very subdued looking Stephen Canning (he had been on night shift duty for the police this week) finally burst into action when he cut in from the right touchline to surge past three defenders, but his strong left foot drive went straight at Butter who had positioned himself well for the shot.

The last action of the half came with two minutes remaining when Johnny Whelan, another who had a very quite game following his midweek exertions, clashed with Ross Graham following a fierce 50/50 challenge between the two after Tony Quinn had  first battled with Graham for possession. All three players were called over for a nice little chat with referee Winter who, after accepting Quinn's protestations of innocence, expressed his discontent with the other two for squaring up to each other and proffered both a yellow card.

John McCormack was faced with a difficult choice at the interval. Queen's were finding it difficult to break down a packed defence, but if he changed things he also risked upsetting the balance of the side which was comfortably regaining possession every time East Fife sought to break clear of their own half. In any event, he decided to leave his options open, although East Fife did make one change which was to nearly prove significant later, by taking off winger Love and replacing him with Deuchar, a tall powerful striker.

Stephen Canning carried on from where he had left off before the interval and another surging run inside from the touchline produced another left foot shot which was half cleared to John Gallagher whose first time drive from the rebound again went straight into Butter's grateful arms. Then Tony Quinn hit as powerful a volley as you could ever hope to see. Trouble was that it finished up somewhere in the vicinity of row Z of "the Celtic end" and a replacement ball was obtained to save time whilst the ballboys behind the goal organised an expedition to retrieve Quinno's effort.

Those fans who had missed Queen's pre-season games must, by now, have been wondering exactly what Jimmy Allan adds to the team. However, now pushed further upfield to more of an attacking left wing role, he began to display his real asset which is a great ability to take a defender on and produce a quality cross at the end of it. His first of several rapings of right back Allison came in the 52nd minute when he completely left him for dead over 15 yards, but Danny Ferry's measured drive from the partially cleared cross again just narrowly whizzed by Butter's right hand post.

Three minutes later another scintillating burst of pace from Allan and a delivery to match gave John Gemmell the headed opportunity, but his powerful header was held by Butter who dived well to save at his near post.

East Fife's half time substitute Deuchars was causing some problems with his ability to hold the ball up well even with two defenders snapping at his heels, and the visitors now showed signs of emerging from the stranglehold that Queen's had been imposing on them. In the 57th minute he sent in a powerful dipping header from a corner he himself had won, and a backtracking Tony Mitchell did well to clutch the ball just under the crossbar.

A minute later, Tony Quinn sent in a similar effort at the other end with Butter reprising Mitchell's save, before Willie Martin was put through from his own half with only Butter to beat. As both raced for the through ball, Willie's pace got him there first and he managed to flick the ball over Butter and run round him. However, some great defending by Hall prevented him from being able to volley the ball into the empty net from the edge of the area as the East Fife centre half got back just in time to clear the ball off Martin's toes as Willie waited for the ball to come down for him. From the resultant corner, Tony Quinn headed over the bar.

Stephen Canning was booked in the 61st minute for going in slightly late on Hall in an aerial challenge before Queen's got an almighty let-off following the ensuing free kick. Left back Ovenstone sent in the high cross from near the half way line and Deuchar made an impressive leap above the Queen's defence to power in an unsaveable header which Tony Mitchell was nowhere near getting to, despite a despairing attempt to do so. Fortunately for Queen's, the ball came back off the 'keeper's right hand post and was quickly ushered away to safety.

With Willie Martin now off, despite always carrying a threat with his never say die attitude that so endears him to supporters, and Stephen Canning now resuming his partnership with John Gemmell, it was young Gemmell who once more regained centre stage, albeit only briefly. In the 70th minute, he hit a volley narrowly wide before sending a clever 75th minute header over Butter but it came down on the roof of the net.

As Queen's stepped up the pressure, Craig Taggart was given a brief opportunity to turn the game and in the 78th minute he sent a dangerous ball across the face of the goal which went all the way through to Jimmy Allan on the far side. Went the ball came back over, Stephen Canning's last touch of the game saw him blaze the ball over the bar when right in front of goal.

Taggart then had a go from long range, but although his shot was well struck, again Butter accepted the ball into his midriff with ease. Then Ovenstone was booked for kicking the ball away as East Fife tried to waste as much time as possible.

In the 84th minute Johnny Whelan headed another deep cross from Ferry back across goal, but it was just too powerful for John Gemmell who was unable to get up to it with the goal at his mercy. Jimmy Allan then drove a long range effort high, wide and most certainly not handsome, before the same player also got himself stupidly booked for verbal dissent in the last minute.

This was a game that Queen's should have won, given that they had 24 goal attempts to East Fife's 4, and yet it was the visitors who came closest to scoring with the header that came back off the woodwork, so perhaps a draw was acceptable taking that into account.

Anyway, just like last time around, Queen's earn their first point of the season in a 0-0 home draw, and they are again at the wrong end of the table with just that single point from three games. However, the major difference this time is that last year The Spiders looked a poor team for most of the first few months and this year the quality of play has much improved with much less use of the aimless high punt up the field which was so discouraging to see.

There is also the not so small matter of two cup victories which have put the team into the quarter final of a cup competition, whether a "Micky Mouse" cup or not, and a large number of supporters will make the long journey to Berwick on Tuesday evening (note the 7.45 kick-off!) hoping that last Tuesday's exploits up at Forfar can be repeated.

ENTERTAINMENT VALUE : 3/5           STAR SPIDER : Stephen Moffat (the new John McGregor!)

QUEEN’S PARK : Tony Mitchell, Danny Ferry, John Gallagher (Craig Taggart - 68), Steven Moffat, Damiano Agostini, Tony Quinn, Willie Martin (Stewart Jack - 63), Johnny Whelan, John Gemmell, Stephen Canning (Paddy Gallagher - 79), Jimmy Allan

Subs (not used) : Stewart Thomson (GK), Jamie White

Scorer(s) : n/a

Booked : Whelan (43 - aggressive manner), Canning (61 - late challenge), Allan (90 - dissent)

EAST FIFE : Jim Butter, John Allison (Grant Cunningham - 89), John Ovenstone, Craig Farnan, Michael Hall, Gordon Russell, Gordon Love (Kenny Deuchar - 46), Paul Mortimer, Ross Graham, Gordon Gilbert (Craig McMillan - 75), Euan Donaldson

Subs (not used) : Scott Bennett (GK), Bryan Kerr

Scorer(s) : n/a

Booked : Farnan (17 - straight red card following off the ball incident), Graham (43 - aggressive manner), Ovenstone (82 - dissent)

REFEREE : Brian Winter ***  (* = inept, ** = poor, *** = mediocre, **** = good, ***** = excellent)