( Eeles, Dobie pen ) ( Moffat pen, P. Gallagher )
Coach John McCormack elected to change his team selection for the game, with John Gemmell returning as expected to partner Allan Dunning, who started for only the second time this season. Willie Martin dropped out completely, while Steven Canning dropped back to left wing-back in place of John Gallagher. Thus, it was a 3-5-2 system, with the usual suspects occupying the other positions.
It was a bright start for Queen's, as so often has been the case this season. Allan Dunning, looking sharp on his return to the side, testing Mathieson after 3 minutes after cutting in from the right-hand side. Already, the presence of John Gemmell up front was being felt, with the big man constantly seeking to win any aerial balls.
Having dominated the early stages of the match, Queen's won a deserved lead after 14 minutes. Allan dribbled his way into the box, outwitted Turner and was then brought down by McGuffie. Steven Moffat sent the resultant penalty straight down the centre of the goal to give Queen's something that's been all too rare this season; a deserved early lead. However, maybe Gretna don't count, as we'd also scored in the 14th minute when beating them at Hampden, and Canning had scored slightly later than this to put us ahead in the Bell's Cup tie. The omens looked good then as Queen's settled down with this advantage.
Gretna attempted an immediate response, but Marc Cleeland's drive was blocked, before Stewart decided to kick clear rather than handle, clearly fearing a possible penalisation for a backpass.
The sheer size and height of John Gemmell is always likely to give opponents hassle, and the striker won a free-kick on 22 minutes after swivelling a few yards from the D. The chance was twice wasted though, as both the free-kick and the follow-up were deflected off Gretna bodies. He subsequently tried a hopeful volley from long range, but it flew wide, causing the goalkeeper no bother at all.
Canning, accustomising to his new role ( one he has played often in the past ), fired wide following good work from the positive Dunning, who was keen to get to the bye-line and deliver balls into the area. This after half an hour, and Queen's looked comfortably on top. But a debatable decision led to them losing their lead.
John Gemmell was hauled up for a late challenge on the veteran Davie Irons as the Gretna player cleared inside his own half five minutes on. Problem was, little of Gemmell seemed to actually touch Irons. It wasn't the last time that this referee would imagine greater forces being applied to Gretna players than were actually the case. Gemmell was unfortunate to collect a yellow card, and shortly after a long free-kick, Gretna were level. Eeles found space close to goal and finished with a precise effort low into Stewart's right hand corner. The meagre home following cheered a goal, though without any great vigour, and Queen's had to start from scratch. Possibly the defending inside the area could have been better, as several players seemed to be caught off guard, allowing Eeles the opportunity, but to be honest from my position nearer the other goal it was hard to tell. In any case, Gretna's first real chance had spawned a goal.
John Gemmell's willingness to shoot from range was again obvious as he blasted wide from 20 yards; the no. 9's day was blighted by his inability to react quickly enough, or to find team-mates with his flick-ons on too many occasions. This would prove the last attempt at goal of the first 45 minutes; a performance of reasonable quality from Queen's Park, and given past results against Gretna, there was reason to feel quietly ( ok, silently ) confident.
There was a booking given right on half-time, but it was unclear whether Steven Moffat or Gretna's Matt Henney was the culprit.
The pattern of play did not change during the second half; Queen's attacked, if anything with greater urgency and desire to score, while Gretna struggled to relieve their own half of the ball. Four minutes in, and a powerful Moffat pass across goal missed any possible target as no Queen's player was able to get the vital touch. Our lack of a hitman had been exposed once again. The attack-minded Moffat came close to scoring himself within three minutes, collecting Ferry's free kick before producing a shot that was smothered by Mathieson.
Any Gretna attacks were proving rarities, but Damiano Agostini came close to committing a howler when a pass forward seemed to be his all the way; he was outpaced before sliding in within the penalty area and allowing Stewart to prevent any calamity.
Paddy Gallagher's introduction on the hour mark for Gemmell gave Queen's another dimension up front, with Gallagher more likely to cause problems on the ground, as opposed to Gemmell's aerial preference. Queen's now had a trio of dribblers up front, and Dunning demonstrated his own talent when turning his marker inside out on the right hand side of the pitch, getting to the goalline and homing in on goal, but his low pass was again cleared by a wilting defence. The goal just would not arrvive.
At last it came though, after 69 minutes. Paddy Gallagher and Allan Dunning showed a real hunger for the battle by forcing Gretna keeper Mathieson into giving away a corner when it seemed the danger had passed. Tony Quinn met the cross from the right, it was parried by Mathieson on the line, and in the midst of an almighty scramble for the ball Paddy Gallagher justified his substitution by poking home from a few yards out. The importance of the goal was evident from the pile-on celebration of the ecstatic players, and from the reaction of those on the terraces and in the small stand. A deserved win was now in sight.
Queen's were now in control of the midfield, with Ferry and Whelan grinding out possession and using it on the counter as Gretna attempted to press. And Paddy Gallagher was showing some of his best stuff in a Queen's shirt. A neat turn led to a 20 yard curler flashing just wide, before Gretna's first shot on goal of the half, Eeles hitting straight at the idle Stewart. Even that was barely worth a mention. The excellent Allan Dunning was then replaced by Brendan Crozier with 10 minutes left, and with the game seemingly drawing to a close Clark came on for Allan.
The drama was still to come though, and it was painful. With only 2 minutes remaining, Gretna were trying desperately to carve out an opening , so desperately that a forward collapsed on the edge of the area as the ball bobbled about. To the fury of the travelling fans, the referee, after some confusion, signalled for a spot-kick, with the Gretna players making no great claim and the official himself seemingly having no great certainty about his decision. Protests from a distraught group of Queen's players led to Canning being booked, and when all was said and done Mark Dobie stepped up to slot the ball into the corner of the net.
One final attempt to salvage the hitherto certain victory saw Quinn head over from a Ferry corner, but had the match referee been in any way competent it simply wouldn't have mattered. Another away draw is encouraging, but having been so close to a win it doesn't feel that way.
Match information