16 Apr This week's results
On Monday evening, the Strollers went down 1-0 to Hamilton at Douglas Park in Reserve League West fixture: the team included Canning, Allan and Martin, as well as Gallagher and the ever-so-slowly returning Taggart. And this evening, a bounce fixture at Lesser against some players from Partick Thistle ended in a 4-1 loss. The side fielded was composed largely of first-choice players, with the exceptions of midfielder John Thompson and defender Ross Conlin, both eighteen. It would be no surprise if one or both of these players was to feature in the remaining league fixtures this season.
12 Apr Queen's Park 3 Stirling Albion 3 - happiness comes to those who wait
For around 88 minutes of this match ( plus the half-time break ) Queen's trailed to Stirling Albion, who looked a competent team but no more than that. Then, with two full minutes of time added on nearing, John Gemmell rose majestically to meet Danny Ferry's cross and Queen's had salvaged a draw. They deserved too as well, having played well enough but having exhibited too much disorganisation at the back - from having a solid defence under McCormack and Martin, this area has become much more brittle under Kenny Brannigan's management. The defence was posted missing as Albion scored two similar goals in the opening 20 minutes, Kerrigan and Morris netting. Sinclair pulled one back following a corner, and a second half fightback seemed realistic. However, Dunn made it three, and until Johnny Whelan's goal, brilliantly executed, the game was drifting away as the players' energy sapped. This was the signal, but a false one it seemed until Gemmell's late, late heroics. Another unforgettable moment to add to this season's considerable list.
10 Apr Queen's Park v. Stirling Albion
Queen's players have the incentives in their final five games of the season of securing seventh place in the league and their own futures at the club. Kenny Brannigan has made it clear he wishes to bring in several new players, as you would expect, and it has been suggested Denis Connaghan, now of Neilston Juniors, is a target. It is inevitable that some players will go: the likes of Moffat, Fallon and Allan may ( please not ) be signed up by other clubs, while some fringe players may be told to move on. That is up to Kenny, but the players could earn their immediate futures - at whatever club - by performing well in the run-in.
Stirling Albion are the visitors on Saturday, and having lost the previous three games this term all by a single goal, I personally am itching for Queen's to address the balance, even if they cannot level it. Defeat on the last occasion at Forthbank was particularly hard to take, as a disputed David O'Brien goal won the game for Stirling. A key man that night - and not just for his skills - was former Dumbarton player Mark Crilly. A tricky player, Crilly scored the winner in Stirling's win at Montrose on Saturday direct from a free-kick. Queen's themselves will likely still be without Steven Canning, but James Allan could return to a side who looked relatively strong in attack when beating East Stirling 2-0 at Firs Park last Saturday.
Last season's end to the season was very similar in terms of fixtures; and a similar run of results would go down well. Having said that, the home game with Stirling on 6 April was drawn 0-0 and Montrose came to Hampden the following week and won 1-0. Queen's also defeated Elgin City 1-0, beat East Fife 3-0 and drew 1-1 at Dumbarton in their last 5 games.
5 Apr East Stirlingshire 0 Queen's Park 2 - great to win again
David Menelaws and Willie Martin were the scorers as Queen's moved closer to the thirty point mark at Firs Park, and in doing so moved back to seventh place in the table. Queen's passing was improvable, but the defence was untested against an extremely weak Shire attack, while the midfield were always in control. It was also pleasing to see the strikers gain the goals, and especially David Menelaws, who has only been able to show his quality in patches so far. His goal today was superbly taken, and will provide a real boost to his self-belief, and no doubt scoring against his old team will have been nice for him. Gemmell was strong up front, but also showed subtlety at times, while McCallum was ever-dangerous from set-pieces. Danny Ferry must improve his concentration and awareness of the game, and stop being so rash, but he always gives everything for the team - probably too much at times. Cairns, Agostini and Sinclair were solid if mainly idle, and Kettlewell showed a willingness to make things happen, even if he did miss an easy chance in the first half. Shire were reduced to ten men late on, Jamie McKay's red card for a wild foul on Gemmell capping a bad start for their new coaching team.
Although fantastic to watch Queen's win only their second league game of the year, it was still difficult not to feel a little downhearted about the plight of East Stirling. Fans handing out protest leaflets before the match, a programme consisting of no more than a few, poorly-aligned folded sheets - like a pre-war effort - and banners draped over the walls howling their discontent at the maladministration of the club. All of this in addition to having a poor team, bereft of experience and any real leaders. One of the oldest clubs in the country could be the next to head into the abyss unless steps are taken by those influential enough to turn things around.
4 Apr East Stirlingshire v. Queen's Park
James Allan and Steven Canning are still out through injury for this match. Shire have not won a home game all season, but their only two wins anywhere came against Queen's at Hampden. Johnny Whelan returns to the side after suspension. Queen's will go into the game for once expected to come back to Glasgow with a win - on their last visit to Firs Park they won 4-0. If they do, it will only be Queen's second league victory of 2003, and their seventh of the season.
For the first time, Shire will be in the hands of Stephen Morrison and Alex Cleland, their newly appointed management. Their players, and fans, should get a mental lift from the new men's presence, especially as the dubiously popular Danny Diver has made his exit. Queen's must take the game by the horns early on, wrest control of the midfield, and if they do a win should be within their reach, but the home side are likely to be fired up at least in the early stages.
29 Mar Peterhead 3 Queen's Park 1
The day was not without its joys, as Scotland defeated Iceland 2-1 at Hampden. I was at that, not at Peterhead, and for once I'm not that unhappy at missing a Queen's game. The Spiders' season is dribbling down the plughole, and we can only hope that the final six games bring one or two moments that stand out from a poor league season.
Team line-ups and scorers are available through the results/reports page.
More news from April 2003