The final whistle was met with disgust and when John Gemmell was awarded the Man of the Match prize the groans of sarcasm were even more evident. Gemmell, aside scoring the two goals, hadn't done much else to help the cause and Willie Martin was twice as good despite playing 15 less minutes.
The tactics were a disgrace and one has to wonder how the same team, who shamed Albion Rovers in mid-week, could be reduced to losing out to the worst side in the country. Brannigan's decision of taking Willie Martin off angered me the most and the guy has to have a look at himself if the kind of tactics that were played in the second-half are to be deemed acceptable.
The team fell apart and the defensive holes were more than alarming. Brannigan needed this win so badly, and he didn't get it, and now he has to prove himself to the fans that he is the one who can manage Queen's as well as Paul Martin did in his short yet successful reign at the club.
As for the Scottish Cup - we shouldn't have a prayer.
Substitutes not used: Fisher, Lamb.
Goals: Gemmell 4, 5, Allan 26.
East Stirlingshire: Todd, Maughan, McLaren, Reid, Allison, Clark, Lukowiecki ( Boyle ), McAuley, Leishman, MacKay, Kerr. Substitutes not used: Livingstone, McGhee, Tobin, Trialist ( name unconfirmed ).
Booked: Allison, MacKay.
Goals: Kerr 16, 85, Leishman 56, McAuley 63.
Attendance: 693.