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MONTROSE 1 : 2 QUEEN OF THE SOUTH

8th January 2005

Scott Rating: 6.45

Paton Rating: 6.65

Thomson Rating: 6.65

S1 Craig Rating: 5.74

Wood Rating: 6.71

Burns Rating: 6.00

McColligan Rating: 6.93

Bowey Rating: 6.00

1 Gibson Rating: 7.90

1 Lyle Rating: 6.84

Jaconelli Rating: 6.63

SUBSTITUTES
S1 - 68 Hill Rating: 6.13	English	Payne	Bagan	Barnard

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MATCH SUMMARY

A year ago we ground out a 1-0 win at East Fife in windy conditions in what was a poor game. In similar difficult windy conditions today the two teams served up an entertaining cup tie which again finished with the right result from our point of view. The banana skin was avoided and the name of Queen of the South will be in the draw on Monday. Iain Scott had a reduced squad to pick from for the game. As well as long term absentees Brian Reid and Billy McDonald, David McNiven, Steven Bell and Brian McLaughlin were unavailable thanks to illness, injury and bereavement respectively. With Chris Scott and Chris Armstrong departed the club that left the resources vary scarce. Emilio Jaconelli replaced McLaughlin whilst the manager also preferred Gary Wood to Tommy English at left back and Brian McColligan to David Bagan in central midfield. The home side had one time Queens goalkeeper Jim Butter between the sticks. Queens settled the quicker but it was 10 minutes before they produced a close attack. A low Gibson cross was hammered just over the bar on the turn by Lyle. However, out of nothing it was the home side who should have taken the lead within a minute. Errors by Paton and Thomson allowed Martin Wood in on goal. His shot was parried out by Colin Scott but only as far as Craig Smart who seemed to have an empty net to knock the ball into from 6 yards out only for Gary Wood to appear heroically to clear off the line. From the resulting corner Neil Stephen lashed over after Scott palmed the ball away. On 19 minutes Wood again was the last line of defence doing well to block a shot from his namesake after a fine ball though the centre of defence took out Craig and Thomson. About this time the home side were putting some pressure on and twice in a minute right winger Kevin Webster cut in to shoot, with one going wide left and the other dealt with by Scott. Queens were still threatening though and on 24 minutes brilliant work from Gibson saw him leave defenders trailing before hammering a low cross into the six yard box. Nobody in the middle could get a touch but the ball ran through to Burns at the back post and he only just failed to turn it in. On the half hour mark, Bowey charged into the box and, though his first shot was blocked by a defender, the rebound was volleyed goalward. It looked a certain goal but Butter threw himself left to tip it away.

The opening goal finally arrived in 41 minutes. McColligan won the ball in a challenge on halfway and suddenly we had a four against four break. The pass was perfectly timed for Derek Lyle to run behind the defence and his shot into the top left corner left Butter helpless. However, Queens got no time to settle on their lead, the home side came right back at them. On the stroke of half-time a cross from the right bounced up awkwardly and appeared to roll down the arm of Paul Burns. No question that the ball did hit Paul's arm but there seemed to be no intent. Never-the-less, referee David Somers had little hesitation in awarding a penalty kick. Craig Smart took the kick but hit it poorly down the middle and Colin Scott was able to block it. However, the ball simply bounced back to Smart who this time did successfully knock it into the empty net. Three minutes into the second period a David Craig 25 yard free kick missed the right post by about two feet but 60 seconds later came one of the goal's of the season from one of the more unlikely sources. McColligan played a pass out to Eric Paton on the right side and he measured up a fine cross into the middle. It seemed to be behind everyone but in came Willie Gibson like a train and he simply hammered a volley from the edge of the box past Butter and into the roof of the net. The hapless keeper never even saw it until it came back out! For a man who had never scored a senior goal in his entire career previously it was a simply fabulous strike. Indeed Gibson almost added to his tally on 53 minutes when his 12 yard header from Paton's cross had Butter scrambling to tip the ball away. Montrose weren't quite done yet though and in 58 minutes Webster's looping cross found Kerrigan in space at the back post but his effort back across goal lacked power and was knocked away from the line by Burns. Five minutes later Webster hared onto a fine pass from his full back to cut inside and shoot across the face of goal, narrowly missing the post. At the other end Bowey's pass slid Jaconelli in but his shot on the turn was blocked by a defender. On 65 minutes Derek Lyle found himself in the clear again but went for a chip and got the execution all wrong, ending up simply dollying the ball up into Butter's arms.

With 22 minutes remaining Stuart Hill came on for his senior debut replacing David Craig. Shortly afterward Montrose replaced Kerrigan with Slater and Hall with Watson. In the 81st minute Gibson's shot from near the left touchline deflected off an opponent and looped dangerously towards goal but Butter managed to grab the ball. A minute later Gary Wood picked up the game's only booking for a trip. In injury time Montrose made their final switch bringing on Smith for Webster. As the final whistle approached the home side earned a corner which saw the usual cavalry charge forward. With nothing to lose of course that included goalkeeper Butter who charged 80 yards to cannon straight into Gary Wood with an elbow. It was needless and out of context with the rest of the game. Referee Mr Somers told the players to get on with it though and the cross was cleared. In fact, the ball broke clear for Jaconelli with an empty half in front of him but Mr Somers decided to blow the final whistle before he could run the length of the park to score. So put simply, Mission Accomplished! It wasn't a stellar performance by any means but it wasn't a bad game either and lit up by a fabulous winning goal. The draw is on Monday I believe and we'll be looking for a home tie or a trip to the surviving one of the Old Firm in the next round. Perhaps even a regional derby? For surely the first time ever there will be three Dumfries & Galloway sides in the draw for the 4th Round after Gretna's game was off and Stranraer earned a replay at Ayr. Ewan Lithgow