By The Spider
September 1 2003

Saturday, 30th August, 2003 Queen's Park 0 Stirling Albion 2 (Bells Scottish League - Third Division)

With so many regulars absent, and bearing in mind Stirling's renowned ability to grind out results against us, for the realists among home supporters the result of this game was a foregone conclusion. Kenny Brannigan did his best to juggle his meagre resources and handed a debut to young John Thomson at left wingback whilst also handing a first starting place to the even younger Derek Carcary who was playing for the Under-16s last season. Alongside Derek, another first starting slot was awarded to Steven McAuley so it was certainly a forward line lacking in experience despite an abundance of enthusiasm.

The exuberance of youth nearly got The Spiders off to the best of starts in the sixth minute, but Carcary didn't get quite enough on his glancing header from Thomson's left wing cross.

Young Derek was certainly proving a handful in the early stages, and it was a joy to witness a quick turn in the 13th minute which left the experienced McNally for dead, and had the youngster's shot had more power, it might just have beaten Morrison to give Queen's an unexpected lead.

Stirling had their first real attack a minute later when McLean shot wide from the edge of the Queen's area. The opener came in the 23rd minute when Stevie Fallon uncharacteristically sliced an attempted clearance high into the air and former Partick Thistle striker Scott McLean was first to react by clinically volleying past a startled Derek Scrimgour.

In the 27th minute John Thomson had his big day spoilt even more when a zealous sliding tackle incurred the displeasure of an even more zealous Eddie Mack who showed the youngster a yellow card for what appeared to be a perfectly legitimate challenge.

Having taken the lead, it would have been no surprise had Stirling simply closed up shop and held out for the remainder of the game. But perhaps Allan Moore's side have a little bit more self belief than used to be the case, and they went on to increase their lead in the 29th minute when Scott McLean found himself clear on the right wing and squared the ball across the face of the goal for David O'Brien who netted at the back post from close range.

To emphasise the visitors' supremacy, they could have gone even further ahead in the 39th minute, but the cross bar came to Derek Scrimgour's rescue as a header from Stuart Devine rebounded to safety from it.

As the half neared its end, Stevie Fallon tried to reduce the deficit with a great run from the halfway line, but his shot was blazed well over the bar. Then, with referee Mack looking at his watch, O'Brien broke upfield and his shot only narrowly evaded Scrimgour's back post.

Neither side made any changes at the interval which was somewhat surprising to home fans who clearly felt that some changes in personnel might give the team a lift.

Coach Kenny Brannigan obviously thought otherwise, but Queen's nearly paid a severe price immediately after the resumption when Scrimgour had to look lively to save a header from McLean before pushing a chip from Devine onto the roof of his net.

However, KB's perseverance nearly paid off in the 49th minute when Stevie McAuley showed neat footwork to create plenty of room for a shot, but he was too direct and his effort rebounded from Morrison's legs. In the 54th minute, Queen's fans were howling for blood after McAuley had been felled by a scything tackle from behind, one far worse than Thomson's first half effort, but the referee took no further action other than to award a free kick which Thomson himself curled narrowly over the crossbar.

Just after the hour mark, Danny Ferry cut in nicely towards goal from the right wing but his left foot shot from the edge of the penalty area was much too weak to perturb Morrison unduly.

Derek Scrimgour was finally called into action again in the 64th minute, doing well to save a McLean volley, before Stevie Fallon embarked on another forceful run from a deep position, but again his long range drive was blazed well over the bar. Nugent then took it upon himself to cut in from the right wing and Scrimgour did well to save his low shot.

McLean seemed determined to add to his opening strike, and a 77th minute curling effort was only narrowly past the far post. The game was swinging from end to end at this point and continued to do so during the last ten minutes. David Menelaws volleyed over the bar from close range in the 81st minute whilst, at the other end, Hay headed just over Scrimgour's crossbar with the Queen's 'keeper well off his line.

Ross Clark showed some nice individual play in the 87th minute to manoeuvre himself a clear shooting opportunity, but he displayed a lack of confidence in his own abilities and elected to cross instead of taking a more direct approach. As the seconds ticked away, Stirling looked sure to grab a late third goal but Elliot was deprived by a great last ditch saving tackle from man of the match Stevie Fallon.

Despite the defeat, and albeit that another one potentially looms with the midweek visit to Inverness for a League Cup tie, there was much for Queen's fans to enthuse over in the performances of Thomson and Carcary. They may well find themselves on the fringes again once the likes of David McCallum and Frankie Carroll return to full fitness, but at least Kenny Brannigan knows that neither player is likely to let him down in future.            

  

ENTERTAINMENT VALUE : 2/5           STAR SPIDER : Stevie Fallon (getting even better)

QUEEN’S PARK : Derek Scrimgour, Danny Ferry, John Thomson (TR), Richard Sinclair, Stephen Moffat, Stevie Fallon, Ross Clark, Stephen Canning (Paddy Gallagher - 76), Steven McAuley (David Menelaws 77), Jonny Whelan, Derek Carcary (Allan Dunning - 78)

Subs (not used) : Brian McCue (GK), Ross Conlin

Scorer(s) : none

Booked : Thomson (27 - two footed tackle)

STIRLING ALBION : Scott Morrison, Paul Nugent, Derek Anderson, Mark McNally, George Rowe, Paul Hay, Andy Gibson (Craig Ferguson - 62), Stuart Devine, Scott McLean, Ryan Davidson (Barry Elliot - 65)

Subs (not used) : Trialist (GK), Colin McKinnon, Dougie Wilson

Scorer(s) : McLean (23 mins), O'Brien (29 mins)

Booked : none

REFEREE :  Eddie Mack * (* = inept, ** = poor, *** = mediocre, **** = good, ***** = excellent)