| ALLEZ LES HOOPS *TOO GOOD FOR WORDS SPECIAL* |
| There's no use in trying to use words to describe last night, but I'll try anyway. Let's just say, Queen's's performance against Inverness was one of the best displays I've seen the Spiders give, perhaps their best. Everyone played their part, the team performed as a unit - what a turn around after Saturday! Kenny Brannigan got it spot on tactically last night. The placing of Whelan as a centre-half was a masterstroke, a shrewd move which paid off as the Scouser threw himself at everything that came his way and organised the back line like the true legend that he is. Ross Clark, however, was Man of the Match. As was pointed out by my website colleague, Clark is definitely playing in a league well below his level of ability. He was the midfield structure last night, fighting, tackling and bursting forward at every opportunity. Credit must go to the 30 odd fans that made the journey - 2 from England! - up to Inverness and spare a thought for those who agonised over Ceefax as the results filtered through. The fans deserved last night, no doubt. We were all deflated after the last two league performances but the team were simply far better last night even without Agostini and with a makeshift side. It just goes to show that this game of ours is really unexplainable. We all thought we were done for in the final minute when Queen's gave away a penalty. Thoughts of the St. Mirren game surely crossed everyone's mind as the referee pointed to the spot in injury time. The fans couldn't believe it. It would be Mann, the guy who conceded their penalty, trying to make amends. He stepped up with the whole stadium silent, his team's fate in his hands. Mann struck the ball, dragging it to Scrimgour's right hand side. A premature roar came from the Inverness fans; certain that they had pulled themselves back into the tie. But at the last moment, the ball pinged against the post. The reaction was almost instantaneous. Even though the Queen's fans were up at the other end of the ground behind the goal, they could see that the ball had crashed against the post and was rolling across the face of the goal. Forget the rebound, the fans were hugging each other with joy. Half a minute later, the referee blew for full time. Cue absolute bedlam, people jumping around, not sure what to do with themselves. But that was merely the fairy tale ending. We shouldn't forget the tireless work of Clark, Stephen Canning, Whelan, Sinclair and Fallon; the calm play of Moffat and Ferry; and the superb running of Derek Carcary. Inverness thought they'd have an easy night after they opened the scoring. But two minutes later, the score was level and the patience left the team. They were largely unimaginative, resorting to pumping balls into the area in the hope that Queen's would waiver under pressure. But it simply didn't happen. Derek Scrimgour was immense in the air apart from a heart-stopping fumble in the final stages and balls were cleared with calmness under real bombardment, especially towards the end. Steven Reilly took his penalty well, netting his fourth goal of the season, all of them from the spot and his grit certainly kept Inverness at bay. Kenny Brannigan must have realized the weakness of the left side and moved Steven Moffat out wide and it worked like a charm. He was a lot more assured compared to Saturday. Danny Ferry was cooler under pressure, and he dealt well with attacks on Inverness's left side. Up front, Steven McAuley kept the defence occupied and was replaced by the energetic Derek Carcary who almost added a third. Ally Graham was much more active, and was the main aim at goal kicks and free kicks. His goal was so effortless, I had my doubts as to whether it counted. And his gesture at the end made the night complete. Steven Fallon and Richard Sinclair, with Whelan, were rocks at the back. Overall, it was a brilliant display; the team achieving one of the biggest upsets for years and it was a performance that the fans, players and manager should all be proud of. Ratings: Scrimgour 7, Sinclair 8, Ferry 7, Whelan 9, Moffat 8, Fallon 8, Clark 9 (Gallagher 6), Reilly 8, Graham 8, Canning 7, McAuley 7 (Carcary 8) Man of the Match: Ross Clark, but Whelan not far behind. Match Rating: ***, but a night we'll never forget - ever. MESSAGE TO BRANNIGAN AND THE PLAYERS: Thank you so much for giving us a night no one will forget. |