| There are some in the Third Divison who doubt that Queen's Park are capable of being realistic contenders this season. There are some 'supporters' who still doubt Ally Graham's contiribution to the team. After yesterday's game at New Bayview, I hope some people will admit that they may have been wrong in their judgements. Just a week after Queens beat Shire 5-0 at Firs Park it was East Fife who suffered defeat to the Spiders, and it was an Ally Graham hat-trick that went three quarters of the way to inflicting it. Here's how it happened: It was East Fife who had the first good chance of the game, after only three minutes. Derek Colquhoun got his head to a Brash free kick, but David Crawford made a good save. Soon after it was the Spiders turn to have a go, Ally Graham knocked down Richard Sinclair's cross, but Clark could only volley over from close range. Twelve minutes in and Brian Blair had a great chance. Alan Trouten played a brilliant ball into the box but Morrison was quick off his line to block the ball, and did well to pounce on it again before Frankie Carroll arrived for the follow-up. Morrison was called into action a minute later when Stuart Kettlewell had a go from long range. The Fifers then put Queen's under a bit of pressure. First Sinclair had to intercept a cross-shot from Brian Fairbairn, then Crawford came out to punch out another free-kick before Ally Graham cleared the ball from the box. The game was quite a physical one, and it seemed that perhaps the Fifers were trying to turn Stuart Kettlewell's temper to their advantage. Stuart was clearly unhappy at a strong challenge from Colquhoun, and while the referee had words with both players, he didn't book either of them. Twenty minutes in and Fairbairn, probably the home teams most dangerous looking player, put in another cross from the right, which Byle came running in on, but he headed wide. A couple of minutes later Queens won their first corner of the game, but when Clark's kick reached Blair at the back post he could only head over the bar. Referee Ritchie then produced the first card of the match. Michael Renwick had taken Ross Clark out late, and would have got away without a booking if he had not protested so violently about the foul being given. Eventually the referee called him over and gave him the yellow card that his challenge had probably deserved in the first place. Ross Clark took the free-kick himself, but fired it just wide. It looked as if Fairbairn was going to be next in the referee's book when he brought down McCallum from behind, but he got away with a warning. On the half hour mark though, the book was out again, after the lineman spotted an off the ball incident between Frankie Carroll and Kris Brash. Both were given yellow cards, before a free-kick was awarded to East Fife just outside their penalty area. Queens put together a good move soon after this. Clark was breaking foward and played the ball out wide to Carroll, who played the ball inside to Kettlewell. Stuart saw his cross blocked for a corner, which the keeper gathered under pressure from Big Ally Graham. With 10 minutes left in the half, Queens made the breakthrough. Ross Clark found himself out on the left and fired a rising shot over Morrison and into the top right corner of the net. Ross doesn't seem to score many, but when he does they always seem to be spectacular! Alan Trouten nearly doubled our lead 4 minutes later when he was played into a one-on-one with Morrison, but the East Fife keeper was off his line quickly again and snatched the ball from Alan's feet. The last five minutes of the half were quite eventful. First Stuart Kettlewell was injured in another bad challenge, but referee Ritchie decided Stuart had been the offending party and gave East Fife the free kick. Then Ritchie suddenly decided that late challenges should lead to bookings, and showed Alan Trouten the yellow card for his tackle on Brash. The free kick was sent into the box and David Crawford pulled off a great save from a point-blank header. Finally as the clock reached 45 minutes Frankie Carroll had a shot blocked by Linton. The half went on for another two and a half minutes, as a result of all the injuries sutained in the game, mainly to QP players. It was good to be leading at half time, but we knew that another goal would be needed to make sure of the three points. Half time score: East Fife 0 - 1 Queen's Park East Fife nearly equalised straight from the kick-off, running up the pitch and setting up Derek Colquhoun who fired the ball straight at David Crawford. A minute later and Queens made them pay for this mistake. Frankie Carroll was brought down on the right by a tackle from behind by Kris Brash. Once again, a card should perhaps have been issued, but Brash (already on a yellow card) escaped. David McCallum and Ally Graham, however, ensured that the best and most effective punishment was given for this foul. David fired the free-kick in towards the near post where Ally was running in to nod the ball into the net and make it 2-0. A couple of minutes later and Gary Kelly found himself being booked for dissent. Then coach Stark made his first sub of the game. Stuart Kettlewell, apparently suffering after another challenge by an East Fife player, went off and was replaced by Mark Ferry. Richard Sinclair was a casualty a few minutes after this. He went down in the QP box after a scramble to get the ball cleared. He limped off the pitch and was replaced by Shaun Molloy. Things looked to be going from bad to worse when barely a minute after coming on Shaun was subjected to a foul by James Herkes and went down holding his knee. Fortunately he got back to his feet and was OK to continue. On the hour mark Herkes made another bad challenge, this time from behind on McCallum. David got back to his feet and swung the free-kick into the box from the left wing. Ally Graham crouched down to flick a brilliant header over a helpless Morrison and into the net from 12 yards. 3-0 to QP it was now, and there was now no doubt that we were taking all three points back to Hampden. Seven minutes later and it just got better. Brian Blair had a shot blocked on the edge of the box, and the ball broke to Big Ally about 25 yards from goal. Much like at East Stirling last week, Ally took his time before placing a wonderful shot into the top right corner of the net. Three goals in 20 minutes for QP, three goals in 20 minutes for Ally Graham, and Queens were now 4-0 up. The Fifers weren't quite finished yet, and Jim Moffat put Steven Tarditi on in place of Colquhoun. With twenty minutes to go, David Crawford was called into action again, clearing with his feet as Kris Brash bore down on goal. DC then had two long range shots to deal with. The first from Herkes from the edge of the box, then a tricky shot along the ground from Fairbairn. It was then that Billy Stark made Queens final change of the match, with Paul Harvey coming on for David McCallum, and soon after East Fife made their second change - the injured Kevin Steele was replaced by Robert Crawford. The next ten minutes were uneventful in terms of goal mouth action, but did produce a good few fouls. Renwick brought down Trouten just outside the box, and Ross Clark was fouled by Byle. Mark Ferry was also given a talking to for a foul out wide on the QP right. Gary Kelly was lucky to escape a second booking when he took Mark Ferry out from behind, and then proceeded to kick the ball away when the foul was given. With five minutes remaining Queens pushed forward looking for a fifth goal. Molloy made a great run down the left wing and cut into the box. He ran to the bye-line, and was six yards from goal before attempting a cut-back across the face of goal. Morrison however was first to react and palmed the ball away. With only a minute remaining Queens won a corner, which was cleared and fell to Clark on the edge of the box. He took a touch before striking a shot which was deflected wide for another corner. This corner also fell to Clark, but his first-time shot went just wide of the right-hand post. Into injury time and Clark again had a go. After making a good run he saw his shot saved and go behind for a corner. Blair then saw a header tipped wide before Clark had another spectacular go. Harvey's corner was flicked into the six yard box by Shaun Molloy and Clark attempted an overhead kick. Morrison did brilliantly well to tip the ball over the bar. We were now into at least the third minute of stoppage time, but this was hardly surprising as the game had been stopped a number of times for injuries. However, looking back, it might have been best had the game not gone on for quite so long. Agostini tried to get his head to a long ball into the QP defence, but could only head the ball right into the path of sub Steven Tarditi, leaving him in a one-on-one with David Crawford. DC wasn't given a chance as Tarditi blasted the ball past him and into the net. Thrity seconds later it was all over, the ref blowing for full time. All in all, it was a good performance, and while it was disappointing to lose a goal, especially so late on, this shouldn't take away from the good shift the whole team put in. Ally Graham obviously deserves a special mention, but so too does David Crawford, as he made several key saves both at 0-0 and 1-0 to keep East Fife out. A downside to the game yesterday however was the injuries to Stuart Kettlewell and Richard Sinclair. Stuart was at least fit enough to walk from the dug-out at full time, but Richard had to be carried back to the dressing rooms by two of the coaching staff - let's hope this was only a precaution, as Sincy would be a big loss to the side, especially with Steven Reilly still out too. Next week is the biggest match of the season so far for Queens - top of the table, unbeaten Peterhead visit Hampden. However, Gretna were joint top and unbeaten when they came to Hampden last month, and we know what happened then! Let's hope for a good game and another good result next week. Basil's Man of the Match: Ally Graham |
| East Fife Queen's Park |
| 1 4 |
| (Tarditi) (Clark, Graham 3) |
| East Fife: Scott Morrison, Michael Renwick, Kris Brash, Craig Lumsden, Sam Linton, Les Byle, James Herkes, Gary Kelly, Brian Fairbairn, Derek Colquhoun (Steven Tarditi 69), Kevin Steele (Robert Crawford 83). Subs not used: Fraser Duncan, Jamie McKenzie, Robbie Logie (SK). Booked: Renwick (23, dissent), Brash (30, off the ball incident), Kelly (50, dissent) Goal: Tarditi 90+3 Queen's Park: David Crawford, Alan Trouten, Damiano Agostini, Gavin Rushford, Richard Sinclair (Shaun Molloy 56), David McCallum (Paul Harvey 75), Stewart Kettlewell (Mark Ferry 53), Ross Clark, Ally Graham, Frankie Carroll, Brian Blair. Subs not used: Bryan Felvus, Steve McGovern (SK). Booked: Carroll (30, off the ball incident), Trouten (41, late challenge) Goals: Clark 35, Graham 47, 60 & 67 Referee: Mike Ritchie. Attendance: 445 |