Queen's face Peterhead for the second week running, and while an early kick-off and the international match will reduce the crowd, they do not diminish the importance of this match. Peterhead must win to stay in touch with East Fife at the top, while for Queen's this represents their game in hand over Montrose and the chance to regain 7th spot. To do so, they will undoubtedly have to defend strongly and finish more clinically than they did last Saturday.
James Allan will be missing tomorrow and Queen's will undoubtedly miss his pace and dribbling down the flanks. An ankle problem rules him out. Richard Sinclair suffered concussion last week and may not make the game, and Johnny Whelan is suspended. David McCallum also has an injury, so tomorrow's team may have a makeshift feel to it. Jamie White will start in defence, Ross Clark, Stuart Kettlewell and perhaps the now-fit Steven Canning in the middle of the park, Chris Fisher will probably play too, and will John Gemmell be dropped in favour of David Menelaws? However, both could start up front. Fisher and Menelaws both scored for the Strollers in midweek in a 2-0 win over St. Mirren - the team's second win over the Buddies this season.
Last time the team's met at Balmoor Peterhead won 3-0 in September. Around this time last season though, Queen's enjoyed a superb 2-1 win at the ground with goals from Steven Canning and Mark Gallagher. This season's earlier loss was, in fact, the last time we were beaten at any away ground in the league with the exception of Forthbank.
22 Mar Queen's Park 1 Peterhead 2 - shot in the foot, hardly any of the foot left to aim at now
Yet another spirited second half comeback was in vain from Queen's Park as they had already chucked away any genuine chance of points through sloppy defending in the first period. Playing with a back four, Queen's were at times ripped to shreds by a confident, hungry Peterhead attack, as both central defenders looked uncertain dealing with their pace. Swift moves brought two goals from the experienced Andy Roddie, and there could have been more; however Queen's themselves passed up excellent chances before falling behind, Allan and Kettlewell lacking coolness when faced with only goalkeeper Mathers. Our third successive home defeat seemed sealed at half-time, but inevitably there was some semblance of a comeback. Led by James Allan and Steven Fallon, Queen's regrouped, and Willie Martin's precise drive reduced the deficit in the 68th minute. Further pressure followed, but no equaliser was forthcoming, and in an unwelcome, and bizarre, twist, substitute Whelan was sent-off in stoppage time - why, well Eddie Mack was the referee, but apart from that, no clues. Our defensive shortcomings were sadly exposed virtually throughout, and the failure to open the scoring proved costly. Remaining in eighth place, Queen's have immediate opportunity to redress the balance against Peterhead next Saturday - but what chance of that happening? A word for Kenny Brannigan - stick with a back three, and get Steven Moffat back in the team, crutches, wheelchair, fork-lift truck, whatever, he's needed.
21 Mar Queen's Park v. Peterhead
Three months without a home win is a worrying record, though hardly the sort of one any Queen's Park person is unaccustomed to living with. Our last win at Hampden was back on 21st December, when Elgin City were beaten 3-2. Tomorrow another northern side travel south, second-placed Peterhead. They, in fact, were the last team before Elgin that Queen's beat at Hampden this season - must be something to do with the long journey. There is a further case to be made for this , as our only other home league win this season was over those fellow isolationists, Gretna. Better start considering relocation to Barra or somewhere and SPL football will be a certainty within 5 years...
Steven Canning's spell outwith the starting XI will continue tomorrow because of a groin injury, and Stuart Kettlewell may also be forced to sit the game out due to an ankle knock collected at Forthbank on Wednesday. The absence of these players, and Johnny Whelan, means that Ross Clark will continue in midfield - he scored the winner in that 2-0 win back in November.
The record of both teams in this league fixture is equal: three wins apiece, with Queen's having beaten Peterhead 2-0 on the occasion of both of their most recent trips to Hampden. James Allan and, as mentioned, Ross Clark scored with fantastic goals in the last meeting of the teams, at Hampden on 23 November - Paul Martin's first game in charge. Tomorrow's match will be the first of two in a row against the Blue Toon, with Queen's travelling north next week for a 1 pm kick off.
20 Mar Stirling Albion 1 Queen's Park 0
Queen's stumbled to another defeat at Forthbank but Kenny Brannigan was certainly not unhappy with the performance. Nor should he have been, as Queen's battled strongly for each other but as ever lacked incision up front. A major source of regret was also the pathetic performance of the match official. Johnny Whelan was absent from the line-up due to his holidaying in France: probably he will also be unavailable for the visit of Peterhead on Saturday. Stuart Kettlewell and David McCallum appear to be forging a good link-up in midfield, while Steven Fallon at times excelled in his unfamiliar left-back position.
Out of a crowd of 465 people, 96 were supporting Queen's Park.
18 Mar Stirling Albion v. Queen's Park - a winning run the aim
Coming off a win at Gretna on Saturday, Queen's now approach another away game in better spirits than for recent, previous fixtures. Stirling will still feel that they have a chance of winning promotion, lying six points behind the chasing triumvirate of Peterhead, Morton and Albion Rovers. For their part, Queen's are now nine points behind sixth-placed Gretna after beating them on Saturday, and this is their game in hand over the southern side. A win tomorrow would give us something to really aim for in the remaining matches.
Jamie White comes back into contention for a place in the team after serving his one match ban. However, Kenny Brannigan may decide not to tinker with the back four that looked very solid at Raydale Park, with Agostini and Sinclair the incumbent central defenders. Tony Quinn and Steven Moffat are of course still missing, and Craig Taggart is still not considered fit enough. He in fact played part of a game this evening at Lesser for the Strollers against a Scotland Amateur XI, but after coming on as a sub for Kenny Brannigan was replaced by him again! ( The Scotland side won 2-0 ).
Queen's are without a win in their last seven matches against Stirling Albion. Our first ever match against the Forthbank team came on 28 August 1948 at Hampden in a Division B game, Queen's having been relegated the previous season. Stirling won 3-2 - Queen's fourth defeat in a row since the season started, and they would follow it up by losing 5-2 at Dunfermline a few days later. Incredibly, 19 goals were conceded in total over these five games. Both of the Spiders' goals were scored by A. J. McAulay.
15 Mar Gretna 0 Queen's Park 1 - this win is a real boost to the club
David McCallum's second goal for Queen's Park won us our first league match at Raydale Park, and served to provide, surely, a real lift for a group of players who have been performing below-par recently. In terms of the display in this game, there was little notable improvement but the only important thing was winning the match. There's no doubt that Queen's have played superior football earlier in the season to that produced today, but have gone away without equal reward. The players take credit for continuing to press forward right up until the end of a match that had seemed certain for ages to finish goalless.