2004/05 Season Review

A serialised account of our season by our man who has been at every match home and away - Ewan Lithgow

Part Nine - March

The month of March began with the rearranged home game against Clyde and another poor performance saw a single goal defeat courtesy of an early goal forced home by Gary Bollan. Iain Scott's tactics continued to come in for criticism and little was done to alleviate that when the game was followed up with a third scoreless draw in five, this time at home to Airdrie United. Again it was a game devoid of goalmouth action and results elsewhere meant that with eight games to go we were only six points from the relegation zone.

Bollan beats Bowser and Barnard

No better time then to put to rest another hoodoo. It was nine years since we'd won at Broadwood (apart from the Challenge Cup Final of course) and a win was crucial to maintain the gap from Partick Thistle. One positive of the previous few weeks had been a much better defensive record and it was yet another clean sheet that built the foundations for an important win. David McNiven was restored to the starting line up in a league game for the first time since November and responded by heading the winning goal late in the second half. However, Queens had Hugh Dallas to thank for preserving the win with two controversial decisions. First he ruled a perfectly good looking Ian Harty goal for reasons unknown and then denied the same player what appeared to be a stonewall penalty after a challenge from Gary Wood in the box.

During the week that followed goalkeeper Richie Barnard joined the ranks of those signed up for another year and the planning applications for the new stands were officially lodged. The long awaited new Queens history written by Ian McCartney also saw publication. Next up on the pitch was a trip to Hamilton. By the end of the season the Accies would be the only side we'd failed to beat in the division but this should have been the one that changed that statistic. Queens dominated the first half and led from the first minute thanks to a superb sharp finish by McNiven again. However, Hamilton mounted a second half comeback and were eventually handed a late draw thanks to a frankly shocking penalty decision. Richie Barnard made a stunning save from Keogh's header and, as the ball ran out of play for a corner, Jim Thomson tumbled in his own box. Marc Corcoran was vaguely in the same area and somehow found himself on the ground as well. It's highly questionable if Thomson made any contact at all with the winger (who has a growing reputation for going to ground rather easily!) but even if he did it was accidental and incidental. Sadly referee Calum Murray made the wrong decision (one he later apologised for personally to Iain Scott) and gave the spot kick which Colin Cramb duly despatched.

There was no more football in the month but there was some good news off the field as Brian McColligan, despite hints of a departure to full-time football, became the latest player to commit for another season. Striker McNiven was also fortunate as he survived a serious road accident returning home from training. He was very lucky to collect only minor injuries when his car careened across the M6. Finally, defender Chris Carr, formerly with Sheffield Wednesday, signed a short term deal to the end fo the season so that Iain Scott could have a closer look at him.

Carr gets a chance

Ewan Lithgow

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