By The Spider
March 16 2003

Saturday, 15th March, 2003 Gretna 0 Queen's Park 1 (Bells Scottish League - Third Division)

Big Kenny Brannigan finally got his managerial victory in a competitive game, but his players certainly kept him waiting for it. As expected, Damiano Agostini returned to centre half at the expense of the suspended Jamie White. However, also in the starting line-up was Willie Martin to lend John Gemmell some much needed help up front whilst Ross Clark was given a chance to re-charge his batteries on the bench. The main benefactor from these changes was Danny Ferry who returned to his favoured right wingback role as he has clearly been struggling to adapt to a left sided equivalent position.

Apart from trying to get their coach his first win, there was also the matter of gaining revenge over Gretna for the home defeat suffered at their hands back in January, so the players looked well up for this game right from kick-off. John Gemmell had the first scoring opportunity after barely a minute, but he hooked Willie Martin's low cross wide of the near post.

Gemmell was involved again in the 7th minute, this time rising to direct a Danny Ferry cross on target, but it was an easy save for Mathieson. Stevie Fallon picked up an early booking on the quarter hour mark, deservedly so for a trip from behind on Dobie.

It was all Queen's so far and the pattern continued as Stuart Kettlewell played a neat 1-2 with Danny Ferry before sending a right foot shot wide from a good position. Mark Cairns was finally called into action in the 25th minute when he got down to save well from Hore who had turned well in a tight position.

John Gemmell headed a Jonny Whelan cross wide in the 28th minute before linking a minute later with Jimmy Allan, who was unlucky to see his right foot chip curl just wide of the far post with Mathieson nowhere near it. Allan had an even better chance in the 33rd minute when he anticipated a weak back header from Henney, but the winger lacked composure as he snatched at the ball too early and lobbed it over the bar for a bad miss.

The same might have been said of Richard Sinclair in the 39th minute when he got on the end of a well flighted David McCallum free kick, but at least his header from eight yards out was on target, although it was a more comfortable save for Mathieson than should have been the case.

Neither side made any changes at the break and Gretna looked a more purposeful side upon the resumption with Dobie heading a Galloway cross narrowly over at the near post. John Gemmell then picked up a completely stupid booking in the 58th minute when he disputed a decision with Willie Young which the referee had clearly got right at the first time of asking. However, the whistler did make two bad errors during the game though as he incorrectly turned down two blatant penalty appeals. Perhaps, because Damiano Agostini had only used one hand to shove Dobie in the back in the first half, "brother Willie" had ignored the offence, but quite how he could have failed to notice an even more obvious trip on Danny Ferry as the Queen's captain sprinted clear in the penalty area left many a head shaking in disbelief.

As Queen's continued to look the more likely side, they came close in the 64th minute when David McCallum burst clear from midfield only to see his powerful left foot shot deflect narrowly wide of target. From the resultant corner, Jonny Whelan rose unchallenged at the back post but somehow Mathieson was able to grab his downwards header on the line.

By this point, Queen's were starting to suffer from tired legs with no adrenaline from a goal forthcoming to help them overcome the fatigue. Both John Gemmell and Jonny Whelan looked likely candidates to come off as both were struggling badly, but against the judgement of many fans who were calling for changes to be made, KB kept his subs warming up at the side of the pitch seemingly determined to allow his starting eleven to finish the job that they had started.

Willie Martin had put in a great shift never giving the Gretna defence a moment's respite, but he too was beginning to suffer from wobbly legs syndrome as the game entered the final ten minutes. Still, he did manage to force his way past Bell and into the area in the 81st minute, but he just didn't have enough oomph left to bury the ball into the back of the net, and his final effort from 12 yards allowed Mathieson to make a comfortable save.

A minute later, Willie set up his striking partner with a precise lay-off, but John Gemmell looked a spent force as he pulled his shot wide of the home goalkeeper's right hand post.

As the game entered injury time, it looked as if Gretna were going to get a share of the points that they scarcely deserved, but for one fortune did shine on the brave. Rather than simply play out time, and urged on from the back by Stevie Fallon in particular, Queen's just kept pressing Gretna into making enforced errors and camped themselves in their opponents half. Finally, and with two minutes already added on, the pressure finally paid off when David McCallum latched onto a poor clearance at the edge of the area and strode forward to drive the ball low beyond Mathieson's despairing drive and into the 'keepers bottom right hand corner.

It was no more than The Spiders deserved and, as the statistics will undoubtedly show, the result should have been an extremely comprehensive victory. Hopefully a bigger proportion of the chances can be converted in the remaining games and that Queen's can finish the season with a flourish. Some fresh legs may well need to be employed, at some stage at least, on Wednesday night when KB's barmy army visit Forthbank in the hope that Stirling Albion can also be overcome.

ENTERTAINMENT VALUE : 3/5           STAR SPIDER : Stevie Fallon (kept driving them forward)

QUEEN’S PARK : Mark Cairns, Danny Ferry, David McCallum, Richard Sinclair, Damiano Agostini, Stevie Fallon, Stuart Kettlewell, Jonny Whelan, John Gemmell, Willie Martin, Jimmy Allan

Subs (not used) : Tony Mitchell (GK), David Menelaws, Stephen Canning, Paddy Gallagher, Ross Clark

Scorer(s) : McCallum (90 mins)

Booked : Fallon (15 - trip from behind), Gemmell (58 - dissent)

GRETNA  : David Mathieson, Matt Henney (Brian Fairbairn - 65), Gavin Skelton, Martin Bell, Ronnie McQuilter, David Irons, Ian Cumersky, Mick Galloway, Mark Dobie, John Hore, Ryan McGuffie

Subs (not used) : Craig Summersgill (GK), Kyle May, David Ormiston, Keith Knox

Scorer(s) : none

Booked : none

REFEREE : Willie Young *** (* = inept, ** = poor, *** = mediocre, **** = good, ***** = excellent)