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QUEEN'S PARK 0 : 2 QUEEN OF THE SOUTH

22nd July 2008

S7 Bell (T)

S5 Adams

Reid

S1 Aitken

McQuilken

McGowan

S2 Macfarlane

S6 Dobbie

S4 Trialist

1 S6 Dobbie

1 S3 Arbuckle

SUBSTITUTES
S1 - 46 McLaughlin	S2 - 46 Tosh	S3 - 46 Kean	S4 - 46 Robertson	S5 - 60 Barr	S6 - 60 Burns	S7 - 65 Halliwell

MATCH SUMMARY

Ironically Queens have played more games at Hampden recently than at Palmerston. It was a very different side that started against Queens Park than did so v Rangers those few short weeks ago. Only five of the cup final team started tonight; McQuilken, Aitken, MacFarlane, O'Connor and Dobbie. Instead Cameron Bell featured again as a Trialist keeper, the newly signed pairing of Michael McGowan and Gary Arbuckle got starts, the previously cup tied Craig Reid partnered Aitken, Jamie Adams started his first game since his return and there was another unidentified Trialist at left midfield. What a start it was! The game was only seconds old when Gary Arbuckle ran on to a ball behind the back four, rounded Cowie and slotted into the empty net. Hampden is a silent place at the best of times when it has only a couple of hundred spectators but it immediately fell even more silent. Dobbie was next to get a sight of goal, forcing a save out of Cowie on 7 minutes. Arbuckle should have doubled his tally on 16 minutes when he latched onto O'Connor's header to burst clear again. This time though Cowie blocked his early shot. Dobbie earned a free kick off the rebound but then struck the wall with it. The lead was however doubled on 20 minutes when O'Connor latched onto a loose ball and laid it off for Stephen Dobbie to fairly rifle the ball in from 25 yards out. Just before the half hour mark Arbuckle again caused problems with his pace as O'Connor sent him through again but a defender got back to block his shot. O'Connor headed the resulting corner onto the roof of the net. The home side got their first chance at goal five minutes before the interval when Bell sprung to his right smartly to deny Holms a spectacular goal and a combination of Aitken and Reid scrambled the rebound away. Gordon Chisholm made four changes at the interval. Gerry McLaughlin got his first taste of action as a Queens player in place of Aitken whilst Tosh, Robertson and Kean replaced MacFarlane, O'Connor and the unnamed Trialist. Queens Park showed more early in the second period with Reid having to clear one effort away from the line and then Bell having to move smartly to kick clear when McGowan was a little short with a pass-back. More changes were afoot though and, on the hour, Barr and Burns replaced Dobbie and Adams. Queens had a massive let off a few minutes later when McGrogan missed his kick in front of an open goal from a corner kick. Chisholm decided he'd seen enough of Cameron Bell after 65 minutes and sent Halliwell on instead before Barr headed Tosh's free kick towards goal and forced a save from Cowie. The keeper also moved smartly to block a long range effort from McGowan shortly afterward. The game was dead though and very little happened over the remaining 20 minutes or so before Halliwell made one decent late save and Robertson fired one just over at the other end. For Queens this was a useful final workout before the serious stuff starts with a Challenge Cup tie at Berwick on Saturday. Ewan Lithgow