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.

RAITH ROVERS 0 : 1 QUEEN OF THE SOUTH

22nd January 2005

Scott Rating: 7.28

Paton Rating: 6.88

Thomson Rating: 6.38

Craig Rating: 5.65

English Rating: 4.78

Gibson Rating: 5.35

Bowey Rating: 6.00

McColligan Rating: 6.30

S2 McLaughlin Rating: 5.40

1 Lyle Rating: 7.44

S1 Jaconelli Rating: 5.65

SUBSTITUTES
S1 - 46 Williams Rating: 6.68	S2 - 67 Bagan Rating: 5.76	McNiven	Payne	Barnard

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

For the third time this season I watched a poor match that really should have finished as a goalless draw won with a goal inside the last ten minutes. For the second time in those three it was Queens who snatched the oh so vital three points. With Hamilton losing at home and Thistle drawing in Perth that moved us two games clear of second bottom again. After last week's sorry defeat at Thistle Iain Scott made two changes to the starting eleven. Tommy English returned at left back and Emilio Jaconelli got a rare start up front in place of the injured Paul Burns and Steven Bell. That meant Brian McLaughlin occupying the unusual position of right wing. New loan signing from Morton, Alex Williams, started on the bench along with Bagan, Payne, McNiven and goalkeeper Barnard. Paul McMullan, who spent part of last season on loan at Queens from Hearts, was at left back for a very young looking Raith side.

It was McMullan who had the first serious effort on goal after five minutes. His 25 yard effort though was straight at Colin Scott. Three minutes later Brian McColligan was the unlikely source of Queens first strike but his 20 yard shot curled away from the top right corner with Berthelot scrambling. On 11 minutes McLaughlin's cross was met with a spectacular overhead effort by Lyle which flew well wide. On the quarter hour mark Raith carved open the best chance of the game to date. Maurice Mendy crossed into the six yard box from the right and the unmarked John Martin had two chances to score. His first effort for the near post was parried by Colin Scott and the second smothered on the goal-line. Seconds later at the other end Emilio Jaconelli was booked for a late lunge at centre half Jonathon Smart. Queens had their best period in the game in the quarter hour before half-time. On 36 minutes Lyle turned Smart inside out before crossing into the six yard box where Jaconelli flicked the ball over the bar. In the final minute of the half great interplay between Lyle and Gibson on the left saw the youngster cut the ball back to the edge of the box to Lyle who's shot hit a defender and deflected goalward. However, the deflection also took enough pace off the ball to let Berthelot adjust his position and grasp the ball.

Iain Scott had seen enough to want to make a change and Alex Williams came on at half time to replace Jaconelli. However, it was Raith who seized the initiative in the second period. In 56 minutes, from McMullan's right sided free kick, the home side should have taken the lead. Centre half Iain Davidson ghosted into the six yard box and glanced a header across the face of goal when he looked certain to score. Six minutes later Darren Brady's 25 yard drive flew narrowly wide with Colin Scott stranded. Next it was John Martin bursting into the box and shooting to the bottom right corner only for Scott to turn it wide for a corner. Iain Scott tried to change things again with Bagan on for McLaughlin whilst Gordon Dalziel put Murtagh on for Raffell. As the close of the game approached Queens suddenly came back into things again, and no-one more so than Derek Lyle. On 80 minutes Brian McColligan's driving run into the box saw the ball break for Lyle to shoot for the bottom right from 15 yards. With Berthelot throwing himself but not getting there the ball agonisingly drifted just past the post. Three minutes later Thomson's towering header on halfway set Lyle clear down the left side and his attempt to lift the ball over Berthelot from the edge of the box saw the keeper dive backwards to clutch the ball. The all important goal arrived in 86 minutes and courtesy of a shocking back pass from the Raith left back area on the halfway line. Alex Williams was alert and hared after the ball, getting there ahead of Berthelot. He looked set to take the ball around the goalkeeper but, as the Frenchman threw himself at Williams feet, the striker showed magnificent awareness to backheel the ball to the edge of the penalty area. There was Derek Lyle following up to knock the ball into the empty net from 18 yards for his seventh goal in the last nine games. Even then Raith might have snatched a draw. With two minutes remaining John Martin found himself clean through on goal and lifted the ball over Colin Scott from 20 yards. Fortunately he also lifted it over the crossbar before collapsing to the turf with head in hands. Dalziel made another switch, replacing McMullan with Malcolm but it made no difference and, after two minutes of injury time, Mr Richmond blew his whistle for the end of the game. So a vital win achieved with a late goal. Four more wins will achieve Iain Scott's survival target. Next up are St Mirren who also ended their own poor run today so that should be interesting. Ewan Lithgow Photographs - David Gow