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PARTICK THISTLE 3 : 1 QUEEN OF THE SOUTH

15th January 2005

Scott Rating: 5.00

(og) Paton Rating: 5.32

Thomson Rating: 5.31

(og) Craig Rating: 4.70

Bowey Rating: 4.96

Burns Rating: 4.54

S1 Bell Rating: 4.25

McColligan Rating: 5.57

Gibson Rating: 5.61

1 Lyle Rating: 6.50

S2 McLaughlin Rating: 4.92

SUBSTITUTES
S1 - 27 Bagan Rating: 5.08	S2 - 46 McNiven Rating: 4.79	Jaconelli	Hill	Barnard

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MATCH SUMMARY

Queens dropped dangerously close to the relegation zone in division one with a fourth straight league defeat, this time at the hands of second bottom Partick Thistle. Iain Scott made two changes to the team that started at Montrose last week. Brian McLaughlin returned up front at the expense of Emilio Jaconelli whilst new signing Steven Bell made his debut in central midfield in place of the injured Gary Wood. That meant Steve Bowey playing the surprising role of left back for the day. With David McNiven also returning to the match squad that meant Stephen Payne and Tommy English dropped out altogether. For Dick Campbell's first league game in charge Thistle were without the influential Grant Murray through suspension but otherwise at full strength. The game kicked off slightly earlier than scheduled and Queens were in front before I'd even finished reading out the team lines on West Sound! In their first attack in the 4th minute Willie Gibson cut in from the left side and struck a decent shot at goal that Kenny Arthur spilled. The alert Derek Lyle was first to the loose ball and duly knocked it home from about 6 yards out.

However, this proved to be a false dawn as Thistle completely dominated the opening half playing with the conditions and knocking the ball about well. In 11 minutes Kenny Milne had a shot into the side netting and a minute later Juan Ramon "fresh aired" when given an excellent opportunity ten yards out. The equaliser was overdue and it duly arrived in 20 minutes in an outrageously fortunate way. Andy Gibson did well on the right side to get away from Willie Gibson and Steve Bowey before shooting powerfully from 15 yards out. Colin Scott did well to parry the ball up and apparently over his crossbar but, as everyone prepared for the corner kick, the ball caught a gust of wind and landed on the bar before dropping down onto the goal-line. Armand One was the first to react and had the easiest of tasks in knocking the ball home from about a foot if that! Iain Scott was forced to make his first change in 26 minutes when Steven Bell picked up a knock he couldn't shake off and was replaced by David Bagan. He'll hope to make a longer appearance next time. Two minutes later Jim Thomson was very short with an attempted headed back-pass, letting One through on goal. However, the big man's close control is not exactly his greatest attribute and Colin Scott rushed from goal to save at his feet. Queens threatened for only the second time all game in the 35th minute. Fine skills from Gibson saw him beat a couple of opponents before exchanging passes with McLaughlin. However, with Gibson continuing his run into the middle of the box, Brian opted instead to play Paul Burns in on the right of the penalty box and he sliced his effort horribly wide when he probably had time to take a touch. The miss would prove costly within a minute. Referee Ian Fyfe awarded a soft free kick against Bowey at the touchline and Derek Fleming's delivery into the box was superb. Colin Scott called for the ball but the head of David Craig got there first to loop the ball over his own keeper and into the net. Before half-time McColligan was booked for a tackle from behind on Jamie Mitchell and a minute after that Willie Gibson was probably quite lucky not to join him after kicking the ball away when a free kick was awarded against him.

Iain Scott made his second change at the interval with David McNiven replacing McLaughlin who'd been quiet in the first half. With the conditions favouring them this half Queens clearly wanted an equaliser. Two minutes of the half had passed when Paton tried a free kick from 25 yards direct at goal but hit it straight at Arthur. On 50 minutes, good work from Lyle at the corner flag set Gibson up for a run and curling shot but it proved an easy stop for Arthur also. In the 57th minute a free kick from the left side was well delivered by Gibson and Derek Lyle's header went just over the top of Arthur's goal from six yards. In a rare Thistle attack though Scott made a fine parry from One after the striker turned Jim Thomson on the edge of the box. Dick Campbell then decided to make his first change replacing Jamie Mitchell with Andy Ross. The change paid immediate dividends but not in the way he might have hoped. Instead Ross was booked three minutes later for a blatant body check on Gibson as he ran past him. Queens continued to push and in 67 minutes Derek Lyle met Paton's right sided free kick with a fine header that looked goalbound until it struck a defender and deflected wide for a corner. From the resulting set-piece David Craig's header was clutched on the line by Arthur. Just a minute later, from a long clearance, Derek Lyle found himself in the clear behind the home defence. His shot seemed destined for the top left corner but Kenny Arthur threw himself to his right to make a fine save at the expense of a corner. The goal finally did come directly from the corner but ironically it was at the wrong end for Queens who made a complete mess of the set-play. Gibson took it short but Eric Paton was caught in possession at the edge of the penalty area before he could get his shot away and Thistle broke upfield, heavily outnumbering the Queens players. Derek Fleming swung in a fine awkward cross from the left side which eluded the players at the near post, including Colin Scott, and cannoned in off Eric Paton for a second own goal of the match!

After that the Queens heads went down and we rarely threatened in the rest of the game. Dick Campbell replaced Ramon with Fulton and later One with Hinds as he looked to keep things tight. Derek Lyle was booked for dissent after throwing the ball away when a foul was given against him on 75 minutes. With two minutes remaining Paul Burns cross almost blew into the goal but was clutched by Arthur on the line and that was as close as we got. So a disappointing result that drops us into real trouble at the bottom end of the table. To be honest over 90 minutes Thistle did enough to win the game so we can't complain too much. Never-the-less, at 2-1 down for the first twenty minutes of the second period there was only one team in it and it wasn't Thistle. Their third goal came well against the run of play and killed the game stone dead. Victory at Raith is now imperative next week. Ewan Lithgow