LATEST MATCH REPORT
Reports from matches this season go to the fixtures section and click on the report linked to the match you want to read about. Alternatively for earlier seasons go to the fixtures section of the archive for the relevant year.
LIVINGSTON 2 : 0 QUEEN OF THE SOUTH 5th August 2006
Corr
Rating: 6.37
Henderson
Rating: 6.43
Lauchlan
Rating: 7.09
J Thomson
Rating: 6.30
S2
Paton
Rating: 6.09
Burns
Rating: 7.15
O'Neill
Rating: 6.62
S3
MacKenzie
Rating: 7.13
Gibson
Rating: 5.44
Weir
Rating: 6.33
S1
O'Connor
Rating: 6.20
SUBSTITUTES
S1 - 64
Mullen
Rating: 5.45
S2 - 66
Scally
Rating: 5.41
S3 - 76
A Thomson
Rating: 4.83
Henry
Scott
SUBMIT YOUR mom RATINGS
Members of the Internet Fan Club can award players marks out of ten for their performance today. The player with the most points awarded in the two days following a match will be the IFC Man of the Match. All of the points will then be added to a running total for each player and the results published in the mom League Table.

Name or IFC No.
MATCH SUMMARY
With Willie Gibson passing his fitness test and Stephen Swift and Andy Aitken unavailable for the foreseeable future the Queens team almost picked itself for the visit to Livingston to open the 2006/07 season. The one big decision saw Scott McKenzie get the nod over Neil Scally in central midfield. For the home side a couple of interesting points were that one time Queens loan player Paul Shields started up front and Graham Weir's younger brother Steven was on the bench.

The game was nine minutes old before Daryl Smilie produced the first threat of any sort, seizing on confusion between Paton and Thomson to get a curling shot in from 20 yards. Corr was not troubled by it though. In the 18th minute Livingston finally exploited the lack of natural left sided defence to force a dangerous cut back. Jim Lauchlan however proved his worth, reading the danger well and seeing the ball out for a corner which came to naught. On 20 minutes, from Paton's right sided throw Gibson latched on to a flick on but his shot was blocked away for a corner. Livi were soon back on the attack though and a minute later Allan Walker headed over from 6 yards out having beaten Paton in the air. In the 42nd minute Livi finally worked through the Queens back three and Eric Paton was forced to come across and trip Scott Mitchell on the edge of the box to prevent a clean run on goal. From the resulting free kick Lee Makel hammered the ball off the base of the post with Corr stranded. Queens were able though to see out the rest of the half unscathed.

Over 520 Queens fans - a great turn out
First minute of the second period a superb John O'Neill pass appeared to get Graham Weir in behind the back four but he hit the ground in the box and was awarded nothing. Straight up the other end and Makel headed a Shields cross goalward but Corr plucked the ball out of the air easily. In the 51st minute Paul Burns made ground down the right and swung in a dangerous cross that O'Connor failed to get good contact on and McPake smothered away wide. Livingston made the first change in the 53rd minute with new signing Joe Hammill replacing Daryl Smilie. Two minutes later though, with Steven Tweed hobbling about on the park, a superb cross by Paton should have been buried by Weir from six yards only for the mis-timed header to spin wide. It was clear Tweed could not continue and he was replaced by Gary Miller on 58 minutes. McCall made his first change in the 64th minute when Michael Mullen replaced Sean O'Connor. Two minutes later it Scally on for Paton which meant Burns moving to the right wing back slot. The subs continued and in 69 minutes Steven Weir joined his brother on the park replacing Steven Craig. Within a minute Allan Walker turned a header wide from a right sided cross.

Big Jim defending up the park
The opening goal finally arrived in the 74th minute when James Thomson put in a deep cross from the right and namesake Jim Thomson was caught under the flight of the ball. The unlikely hero was Dave MacKay who nodded a looping header over Corr from the back post area. McCall responded immediately replacing Scot McKenzie with Andy Thomson. The move had no time succeed though before Queens shot themselves in the foot again. Murray Henderson smothered the danger from another cross but gave the ball away needlessly in bringing it out. Livi seized possession and fed in Paul Shields clean through on goal. He produced a perfect top corner finish to double the advantage.

Queens look to get forward
In 81 minutes Michael Mullen almost punished sloppy defending and seemed to maybe be pulled back in the box but his appeals fell on deaf ears with Mr Conroy. There was to be no miracle comeback though and the season started in defeat. This was always likely to be a difficult fixture and Livi look a decent side, albeit one whose two goal victory flattered them somewhat. We must regroup and begin the home campaign in the CIS Cup on Tuesday night against Clyde with confidence.

Ewan Lithgow
Photographs - David Gow


[Back to Queens front page]