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ALLOA 2 : 0 QUEEN OF THE SOUTH 15th December 2001
Scott
Rating: 6.79
Allan
Rating: 4.32
Crawford
Rating: 5.16
Aitken
Rating: 5.74
Gray
Rating: 5.79
Connelly
Rating: 5.79
S3
O'Neill
Rating: 5.26
S2
Donald
Rating: 5.67
Atkinson
Rating: 5.58
O'Boyle
Rating: 6.53
S1
Weatherson
Rating: 6.16
SUBSTITUTES
S1 - 61
Moore
Rating: 4.94
S2 - 77
McMahon
Rating: 4.94
S3 - 86
Burns
Davidson
Robertson
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MATCH SUMMARY
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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