( McKechnie ) ( Whelan )
Despite his recent calamitous performances, and the signing of Derek Scrimgour, Tony Mitchell was listed as substitute goalkeeper, with Mark Cairns coming back in between the posts. David McCallum also returned, and Jamie White replaced the suspended Sinclair.
It was clear from the outset that this was never going to be a classic contest: not two of the league's better teams, an uneven pitch, a sparse crowd. Indeed, the only thing that made you remember this was not an end-of-season game was the weather, with the grey skies, swirling wind and biting cold not typical of May. Mind you, in Montrose...
Queen's had the first effort, John Gemmell heading the ball towards goal from Ferry's deep cross. In the sixteenth minute, they came so close to opening the scoring when White's towering header from McCallum's corner had to be headed off the line. What was encouraging was that Montrose had looked decidedly uncomfortable in clearing their lines after this chance. Queen's own defence was reduced in numbers, temporarily, in the 22nd minute due to a facial knock for Agostini; he left the field with blood dripping down his face, but Montrose were unable to capitalise during his 5 minute absence.
After half an hour, Gemmell, quiet so far, turned on Whelan's throw into the penalty area and fired a low shot into the side netting after holding off a couple of defenders.
Queen's had certainly been the superior of the two teams so far and Montrose had made no chances in front of goal. Perversely, it was the latter who were to take the lead in the 34th minute, and it was very much a wake-up call for the previously idle Cairns. McKechnie chased a long ball running towards the left, got past Agostini, and hit a low shot towards the near post. It was a modest effort, and a comfortable one for Cairns to deal with, but the new goalkeeper showed he can also suffer such ills as the old one did, allowing the ball to slip from his grasp and over the line to the disbelief of more or less everybody.
To say the goal stung Queen's into action would be a little bit of an exaggeration: rather, they seemed to carry around their surprise and sense of injustice on their backs up until half-time, and a soft win for Montrose appeared a definite possiblity once the interval arrived.
Thankfully, Kenny Brannigan's half-time words galvanised Queen's into a positive second half response, and they took the game by the scruff of the neck. McCallum sent over a teasing cross to the back post from the left hand side which McGlynn struggled to cope with as Whelan challenged, and McCallum's follow up was deflected for a corner. McCallum himself took it, and White powered in a header. McGlynn was able to parry it, but in the midst of a scramble for the rebound Johnny Whelan stepped in to prod the ball over the line.
Unfortunately, this start was not to usher in a more open and exciting second period. Goal opportunities remained few and far between, and Kenny Brannigan decided that David Menelaws was unlikely to find or take any, replacing him with Chris Fisher on the hour. The forward, making his first start after an age out injured, had tried manfully but found little success. James Allan picked up a booking, yet again for avoidable dissent, before a John Gemmell free-kick in a central position 25 yards out was blocked by the wall.
Craig of Montrose, object of some criticism from the travelling fans for enthusiastic falling,
volleyed from inside the box, and attempted again from the rebound but it was another aimless shot. A looping McKechnie header followed from Craig's cross, but Cairns had no bother - this time - with the catch. Somewhat surprisingly, David Craig was replaced a few minutes later, despite looking one of the home team's only threatening players.
As the game moved into the closing 20 minutes, David McCallum, one of Queen's better players on the day, pushed from midfield and played a great pass through to Allan on the edge of the box, but Ferguson slid in well to prevent Allan from shooting. This would be Queen's Park's last effort of any note, and with 18 minutes still remaining too - a sign of just how uninspired a display this was. A minute after, Grant Johnson hit the top of the net with a header, then Steven Canning, in a poor run of form, was replaced by Ross Clark. 7 minutes later, James Allan came off with Paddy Gallagher his replacement. Neither player made any impact, though their fellow substitute Chris Fisher did at least have an involvement in the final stages. His fierce drive flew wide of the post from McCallum's tapped free kick in the 84th minute, and he then cleverly turned past Graeme Christie on the left wing just past the halfway line, before crudely chopped down by the Montrose defender. A yellow card came his way as a result.
The referee, obviously feeling as cold and fed up as the rest of us, blew for time-up after a minimal amount of stoppage time, and we remain without a win over Montrose for more than 2 and a half years. However, Queen's do still lead the Gable Endies by three points in the table, and will surely be motivated into playing an improved standard of football by the presence of the division's leading teams at Hampden in the next couple of weeks.
Booked: Christie.
Goal: McKechnie 34.
Queen's Park: Cairns, Ferry, Canning ( Clark ), White, Agostini, Fallon, Menelaws ( Fisher ), Whelan, Gemmell, McCallum, Allan ( Gallagher ).
Substitutes not used: Kettlewell, Mitchell.
Booked: Allan.
Goal: Whelan 49.
Attendance: 315.