Another week, another fruitless visit to Alloa as Queens' promotion
challenge took another heavy knock despite three changes made to last weeks
side. New signings George O'Boyle and Barry Donald replaced Martin Glancy
and Graham Connell respectively and Gordon Connelly returned in place of Jon
Sunderland on the right side of midfield. The substitutes bench also bore an
unusual look as teenage keeper Stuart Robertson was joined by Stuart
Davidson and three players who have joined the club within the last
fortnight, Allan Moore, Gordon Burns and David McMahon.
It was the home side who had the first decent chance of the day after seven
minutes. Colin Scott had to rush to the edge of his area to meet a forward
and parry away. However, Derek Allan hesitated over the clearance and a chip
floated back into the danger zone was headed away from the line by Jon
Crawford.
Queens first half-chance came in eleven minutes when Peter Weatherson seized
on a loose ball twenty yards out and fired over the top by a foot or so. A
minute later it was Weatherson again, after good work from O'Boyle, turning
and shooting across Evans with his left foot. The young keeper made a good
block though.
At the other end in 22 minutes, Alloa's new loan signing, Stephen Whalen,
got a decent shot in at goal but Scott made a good save low at the right
post. However, Queens were having the better of things at this time and,
following a John O'Neill free kick from the right touchline, O'Boyle turned
sharply and shot into the side netting. Straight after this though O'Neill
carelessly gave away possession just outside his own penalty area and
allowed last week's scorer, Gareth Evans, a clear sight of goal about 15
yards out. Fortunately the former Hibernian striker shot tamely straight at
Scott.
Just when it seemed the half would end goalless, referee Mr Underhill took a
hand in the proceedings. A high ball was hoisted towards the edge of the
Queens penalty area which Evans almost seemed to catch in controlling it.
However, Derek Allan bundled into him clumsily and Mr Underhill awarded the
free kick in Alloa's favour. With Jimmy Fisher on the field, there was never
much doubt about what was coming, it was just a question of what kind of
shot he would have. In the event, it was a low strike which found a way
under the jumping wall and somehow went through Jon Crawford standing on the
line at the left post. Crawford seemed to actually lift his leg out of the
way as he mistimed the clearance and the ball hit the back of the net with
only a minute of the half remaining.
The second half started positively enough for Queens and, in fifty minutes,
John O'Neill ran onto a loose ball just inside the Alloa box but tried to
place rather than power his shot and young Evans was able to save. A minute
later, Terry Christie brought Richard Walker on in place of Gareth Evans and
John Connolly replaced Peter Weatherson with Allan Moore.
The match was really finished as a contest after 66 minutes when John
O'Neill underhit a ball forward from midfield which was intercepted by a
defender. The ball was immediately switched forward up the right and an
early cross across the face of goal found the unmarked substitute Richard
Walker all on his own at the back post about eight yards out. The youngster
made no mistake, burying the ball behind Colin Scott.
In 76 minutes, two goals almost became three when Colin Scott and Derek
Allan between them just managed to smuggle a back post header wide of goal.
A minute later and David McMahon became the third player to make his Queens
debut on the day when he replaced Barry Donald. With three minutes
remaining, three debutants became four when Gordon Burns replaced John
O'Neill. Immediately, a scramble following a Queens corner almost saw
O'Boyle hook in a goal but again Evans managed to make a save.
However, whilst we probably did at least share the possession on the day,
there can be little doubt that the better team won the game and something
will have to be done to arrest the current slide in form quickly before our
season fades away into mediocrity.
Ewan Lithgow
MATCH ACTION
Thanks to David Gow for the action shots
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