By The Spider
November 3 2002

Saturday, 2nd November, 2002 Gretna 2 Queen's Park 2 (Bells Scottish League - Third Division)

Following his very disappointing performance at Elgin last Saturday, it was no surprise to see him dropped from yesterday's squad, his place in the starting line-up being taken by John Gemmell who had a new striking partner in Allan Dunning as Stephen Canning moved back to replace John Gallagher.

Indeed, it was Dunning who looked very sprightly in the opening minute when he got to the bye line on the right wing before pulling the ball back to his left foot before sending in a fierce shot which was blocked. The ever-willing Danny Ferry was next to test the Gretna defence in the 7th minute when he surged his way to the bye line but nobody was attacking the front post and the danger was cleared.

Gretna's first attack didn't come until the 10th minute when some neat one touch passing created a shooting opportunity for Hewson, but the midfielder pulled his right foot shot well wide of Colin Stewart's goal.

However, it was Queen's who opened the scoring in the 13th minute when flying winger Jimmy Allan went round Turner before being sent sprawling by McGuffie who had been tempted into making a rash challenge. It was as clear a penalty as is possible in the circumstances and not one home player raised any objections as referee Charlie Richmond made his easiest decision of the day. Steven Moffat stepped up to side-foot the ball low to Mathieson's right to give the 'keeper no chance.

In the 22nd minute John Gemmell had a netbound shot blocked after the initial shot had come back off the defensive wall. With Gretna nowhere to be seen as an attacking force, Stephen Canning sent a shot on the turn narrowly wide after Danny Ferry's low cross found its way through a packed defence to him.

John Gemmell was booked in the 32nd minute for a late challenge which Turner, whilst slightly caught by the exuberant striker's studs, certainly made the most of. Having made an immediate recovery, the burly defender then sent the long free kick from just inside his own half deep into the Queen's area and Simon Eeles slid in on the wet surface to beat Colin Stewart to the ball before slipping it past the big 'keeper from a tight angle.

Tony Quinn looked to have restored Queen's lead in the 38th minute when he latched onto a Dunning lay-off, but his rocket drive whizzed inches past Mathieson's right hand post. Colin Stewart then made his first proper save of the afternoon when he had to dive to his right to catch a low snap-shot from Hewson.

Right on the stroke of half-time, the stand side refereeing assistant drew Richmond's attention to an off the ball incident between Henney and Moffat. Although the elegant Queen's defender looked to be the aggrieved party, inexplicably he was also booked after Henney's yellow card despite Queen's being awarded a free kick.

No sooner had the second half re-started than Cumersky also found his way into Richmond's book for dissent after disputing the award of throw in.

Three minutes after the re-start, Steven Moffat put a great ball across the face of the goal, but it caught Tony Quinn on his heels when the ball was begging to be slid into the net. Soon after, Moffat peeled away unseen to the back post where he met a free kick and forced Mathieson to make a low diving save from his volley.

Allan Dunning began to come more into the game and some good skills on the right wing in the 52nd and 63rd minutes created some good openings but no-one was on hand to take advantage. Jimmy Allan then completely miskicked right in front of goal and his misery was complete seconds later when he was stupidly booked for dissent after complaining about an aerial challenge for which a free kick had been awarded against him.

As Queen's kept up the one-way traffic towards the Gretna goal, all of it down the flanks it must be said, a Stephen Canning shot was blocked for a corner before Queen's finally regained the lead in the 70th minute. Johnny Whelan was completely unmarked on the edge of the six yard box as he rose to meet an Allan corner, but instead of powering in his header as he did in identical circumstances last week, he elected to head the ball down where Mathieson was able to get a hand to it on the line. Fortunately it broke kindly to Paddy Gallagher who stabbed it into the roof of the net to score his first goal for the Club.

Colin Stewart needed to be alert to save a high long range drive from Eeles in the 78th minute but, that apart, Queen's looked to be coasting towards their third competitive win of the season against the league newcomers. However, they hadn't reckoned on the intervention of referee Richmond three minutes from time when he awarded a penalty kick just inside the area after Dobie had gone down whilst being covered by no less that four Queen's players. The hapless official was immediately surrounded by virtually the entire Queen's team who recognised the injustice of it all. Stephen Canning was the token Queen's player booked for his part in the mass protest, but of course it was to no avail and Mark Dobie powered the ball low to Colin Stewart's left to give the on-loan 'keeper no chance at all.

In injury time Tony Quinn had a great chance to snatch a winner but, again to Cowboy's great disgust following a half-time warning about getting ahead of the ball at set pieces, the midfielder got underneath another excellent Allan corner and sent his eight yard header over the bar.

Whilst the four goals and five bookings made this an entertaining encounter, the Queen's midfield still looks to be badly missing the movement that Danny Ferry offers, but John McCormack clearly sees Stevie Fallon's immediate future as a sweeper so another solution to that particular problem needs to be found and it is clear that Johnny Whelan's coat is on a shaky peg if he continues to ignore his coach's explicit instructions to part with the ball more quickly.

Getna looked a shadow of the team which impressed at Hampden at the beginning of the season and are clearly missing the partnership of Hore and Dobie up front. That makes the late equaliser all the more disappointing, and not even the news that East Stirlingshire's heavy defeat at Morton had allowed Queen's could go above them could improve the mood of players and supporters alike as they headed north after the game.

This Saturday, Morton are the visitors and Queen's have a score to settle after their heavy defeat at Cappielow a few weeks ago. In that game, Queen's entirely dominated the opening stages and hopefully this time they can score the goals that their superb early play that day deserved.

ENTERTAINMENT VALUE : 4/5           STAR SPIDER : STEVEN MOFFAT (utterly majestic...again!)

QUEEN’S PARK : Colin Stewart, Danny Ferry, Stephen Canning, Steven Moffat, Damiano Agostini, Stevie Fallon, Allan Dunning (Brendan Crozier - 79), Johnny Whelan, John Gemmell (Paddy Gallagher - 60), Tony Quinn, Jimmy Allan (Ross Clarke - 85)

Subs (not used) : Tony Mitchell (GK), Jamie White

Scorer(s) : Moffat (pen - 13 mins), Gallagher (70 mins)

Booked : Gemmell (32 - late challenge), Moffat (45 - off the ball incident), Allan (66 - dissent), Canning (89 - dissent)

GRETNA  : David Mathieson, Ryan McGuffie, Gavin Skelton (Adam Thwaites - 46), Tommy Turner, Martin Bell, David Irons, David Hewson (Mark Dobie - 60), Marc Cleeland, Simon Eeles, Matt Henney, Ian Cumersky (Gary Harding - 82)

Subs (not used) : David Wylie (GK), Craig Smart

Scorer(s) : Eeles (33 mins), Dobie (pen - 89 mins)

Booked : Henney (45 - off the ball incident), Cumersky (46 - dissent)

REFEREE :  Charlie Richmond ** (* = inept, ** = poor, *** = mediocre, **** = good, ***** = excellent)