By The Spider
September 13 2004

Saturday, 11th September, 2004 Queen’s Park 1 Montrose 2 (Bells Scottish League – Third Division) (Picture from qpfc.com) This was a very poor game with few chances created by either team and where neither side would have deserved a victory.

This match provided Queen’s with a rare opportunity to go 3^rd in the League table, but that chance was scorned as the Spiders failed to live up to their recent potential. It was also said that that this was exactly the kind of game that Billy Stark’s new charges would need to win if they were to emerge as genuine promotional candidates, so this defeat was particularly hard to take.

The early signs were not encouraging as it quickly became clear that Montrose were prepared to chase and fight for every loose ball, in much the same fashion that Queen’s gain the upper hand over their opponents. This resulted in something of a stalemate where neither side was able to exert any dominance, let alone to create any clear-cut chances.

The first notable opportunity didn’t arise until the 25^th minute when Damiano Agostini headed narrowly past from a Ross Clark right wing corner. Ten minutes later a low left wing cross from Shaun Molloy fell kindly for Ally Graham whose dipping right foot shot rebounded off the bar and Brian Blair was unable to get over the ball enough to prevent his instinctive volley from going over the bar.

By the 39^th minute David Crawford hadn’t had a save to make, so imagine his frustration when Calum Watson turned on a loose ball in the Queen’s area to rifle a ferocious shot across the exposed Queen’s ‘keeper and into the far corner of the net.

Boosted by his strike, Watson now began to look much more lively and Gavin Rushford was booked a minute later for pulling the striker back by his jersey. Then Hall fired in a first time effort from 22 yards that fizzed inches over Crawford’s crossbar.

Referee Martin Sproule had had an indifferent first half with a series of inconsistent minor decisions which only served to irritate fans and players alike, and as the whistler prepared to blow for the interval, Queen’s surprisingly found themselves level to give themselves a timely boost. There seemed little danger when Alan Trouten embarked on one of his typical little runs at the visitors’ defence, but this time he elected to play a one-two with Brian Blair which caught opposing defenders off-guard and allowed him time and space to slot the ball beneath the dive of the advancing Hankinson.

Now was the time for both managers to earn their corn, and whilst Henry Hall needed to lift his side following the late equaliser, Billy Stark would have been looking to take advantage of the reprieve handed to him by young Trouten. Quite frankly, it had been an insipid first half and the onus was on Queen’s, as the home side, to do something to change the pattern of the game.

Sadly the Q.P. coach’s half time chat over a cup of tea appears to have failed to inspire his players, as the sparse crowd was treated to more of the same inability of either side to break the midfield deadlock. Montrose, as they are quite entitled to do, set out their stall to depart Hampden with a point whilst Queen’s looked totally devoid of inspiration to break them down.

Between the 48^th minute when Brian Blair was booked for a deliberate trip on Sharpe at the halfway line, and the 71^st minute when Donnachie lost patience with referee Sproule following another dubious decision and was booked for his comments, there were no noteworthy incidents whatsoever.

Visiting substitute Webster provided David Crawford with his first save of the afternoon with just over ten minutes remaining when he headed a Sharpe right wing cross straight at the inactive Queen’s ‘keeper.

With three minutes left, fellow substitute Bryan Felvus fired a low shot straight at Hankinson, and it looked as if that would be the end of the action.

However Queen’s, who have made late goals something of a trademark this season, dozed off during injury time and allowed Craig Smart to get to a seemingly innocuous low cross from the right to prod the ball in off the far post to provide the visiting players with a win which their massed celebrations indicated was more than they had been striving for.

Queen’s were given one final opportunity when the errant Shaun Molloy who had lost possession in the lead up to the 2^nd goal had a brief sight of the target only to snatch at the ball and slice it wide from an acute angle.

So hardly the home start that Billy Stark would have been hoping for with a performance which ranked as low, Scotland performances apart, as has been witnessed at The National Stadium for many a match. What should have been a short trip to look forward to at Firs Park next Saturday now looks like a potential banana skin.

Just as worryingly for Club Treasurer Garry Templeman was the attendance for this game. The fact that only 406 spectators could be bothered to turn up to welcome the new Queen’s coach must equally be a cause for concern. The season had begun promisingly, there were no televised counter-attractions, so quite why the “crowd” should be almost 20% down on the figure for the corresponding fixture almost exactly a year previous should provoke some discussion at committee level.

A 50% record at this stage of the season is hardly a disaster, so providing that all three points can be collected next Saturday, optimism will be restored. Failure to do so is not an option.

 ENTERTAINMENT VALUE :  1/5

STAR SPIDER(S) :  Alan Trouten (great goal was only Queen’s highlight)

QUEEN’S PARK :  David Crawford, Alan Trouten, Damiano Agostini, Gavin Rushford Richard Sinclair, Shaun Molloy, Stuart Kettlewell (Paul Harvey – 80), Ross Clark, Ally Graham (David Weatherston – 89), Frankie Carroll (Bryan Felvus – 69), Brian Blair

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

Scorer(s) : Trouten (45)

Booked : Rushford (40 - professional foul), Blair (48 - professional foul)

MONTROSE : Michael Hankinson, Barry Donnachie (Alan Budd – 80), Kerr Dodds, Paul Doyle, Neil Stephen, Steve Kerrigan, Euan Hall, David Greenhill (Daryn Spink – 82), Calum Watson (Kevin Webster – 70), Craig Smart, Graeme Sharpe

Subs (not used) :  Jim Butter (G/K), Daryn Smith

Scorer(s) :   Watson (39), Smart (90)

Booked : Donnachie (71 – dissent)

REFEREE : Martin Sproule  **  (* = inept, ** = poor, *** = mediocre, **** = good, ***** = excellent)