( Jack, Moffat ( pen )) ( Stirling ( 2 pens ), Diack,
Bradford )
The first of these arrived just six minutes into the game. Gordon Lappin, who again failed to impress, this time as a right back, was adjudged to have impeded Bradford in challenging for a high ball in what seemed to be a harsh decision. Jered Stirling, no stranger to scoring against Queen's in the past, converted the kick by sending Colin Stewart the wrong way. Again, an early goal conceded, but this time, there was certainly a case to be made for the defence.
The early stages saw Queen's annoyingly fail to hold onto possession after gaining it, and it was something that deteriorated further throughout the half as Queen's failed to establish themselves on the game at all. Their only real chance of the half arrived in 17 minutes, and it arrived courtesy of a penalty award by Mr. Duff. Allan Dunning managed to turn his marker on the right hand edge of the Rovers box after Crozier had found him with a long pass ( about the only instance of the two linking up well in the first 45 minutes ) and as Dunning moved into the area he was challenged by Todd Lumsden. Although the defender appeared to have touched the ball first, a spot kick was the decision. Johnny Whelan stepped up as usual, but his whole pose lacked conviction, and it was no surprise that Shearer was able to tip the ball to his left and wide of the post. Not the last time during the game, either, that the Rovers' custodian would break Queen's hearts.
That sort of profligacy in front of goal has damaged Queen's since time immemorial it seems, and the rest of the half produced the sort of fare from the home side that makes you wonder why you bother turning up week in, week out to support the team. Sober analysis post-match provides an almost immediate answer, of course. The award of another penalty to Rovers in 26 minutes was nearly as bad as the first two, if not quite as. Silvestro was moving into the area when he was blocked by a Queen's defender. The home support were rightly disgusted with the decision, as Queen's chances of taking anything from the game receded. Stirling again made no mistake, sending the ball into the other corner this time, and Queen's were left with a mountain to climb. On the evidence of the following 20 or minutes or so, not even Sherpa Tensing would have been of any use in helping Queen's achieve that as the home side gave the ball away sluggishly, allowed Rovers' mobile forwards too much space around the penalty area, and in general looked a beaten side. Having said that, Albion were content to keep hold of the ball and their only chance of note came in 34 minutes when Charlie McLean forced a one handed stop from Colin Stewart on the edge of his six yard box; however, the striker had appeared to be in an offside position after Bradford's pass had played him in. Another example of incompetent officiating.
Half-time came with John McCormack clearly aware of the need for change in the team, and he took the step of returning James Allan to the fold, replacing Crozier with him. It would prove an inspired change as Allan's willingness to run at opponents down the left provided Queen's with an attacking outlet which they had sorely lacked during the first-half.
The visitors had the first move of the second period, with Silvestro showing lovely skill in the middle before finding Bradford with a reverse pass, but his lob never troubled Stewart. Soon afterwards, Allan showed the width that Queen's had lacked without him as he got free on the left-hand side but trundled a mishit cross straight at Shearer.
The introduction of Willie Martin for Allan Dunning in 54 minutes gave Queen's a tigerish presence up front; Martin's constant snapping at the heels of defenders proved an example to a hitherto lacklustre Queen's side, while Stuart Jack, playing like a man reborn, looked a better player through the middle than he has done playing out wide. This was soon evident, as Jack tried his luck from 25 yards out after running from deep: Shearer was equal to it.
Within two minutes, the same player had scored his first Queen's goal and as a consequence breathed new life into the contest. Danny Ferry was the creator; he swivelled in midfield and sent the ball through for Jack to home in on goal and clip the ball into the net at Stewart's right hand post. Tony Quinn was booked five minutes later for a shirt-pull, but Rovers made nothing of the free-kick and would have little say attack-wise for some time as Queen's controlled matters. The midfield of Ferry, Taggart and Whelan was now on top in a way they had failed to be in the first half, and were constantly able to feed the front trio as Queen's came so close to levelling the game in the following ten minutes. Craig Taggart fired a shot high on 64 minutes after good skills by Steven Fallon down the left; the full-back, a sound defender and also capable of getting forward with pace and trickery, played infield to Ferry, who knocked on for Taggart's wayward effort. Then, Willie Martin had a solo run which originated on the right wing and culminated in shot which didn't possess the pace or direction to breach the Rovers' goal; passing to a team-mate may have provided more reward.
Now came the start of the Scott Shearer show. The tall keeper, soon to go on a week's trial at English club Everton after a similar period at Bolton, kept Queen's at bay with a series of agile saves, the first from Stuart Jack. Whelan played a ball to Ferry on the right, and Danny's cross to the back post was met by Jack, however Shearer was able to make a fine blocking save. As the ball came back off the keeper, Jack was just unable to turn quickly enough to fire past him, and Shearer was able to scramble clear. Rovers broke up the park, and a Jered Stirling shot flashed across the face of goal, but it would prove but a momentary respite for the visiting defence as Queen's pushed forward relentlessly. An Allan cross was just too high for Martin, before Jimmy himself had a clear-cut chance. Whelan played a great through ball, and Allan found himself one-on-one with Shearer, but he was only able to blaze the ball high over the bar. Queen's should have been level by now, but they would have further reason to rue their lack of composure in front of goal. Stuart Jack twisted and turned inside the area but his weak shot proved no threat to Shearer. Almost immediately, Allan cut inside and found Danny Ferry running in, but the captain's effort was blocked by an onrushing keeper. Despite the clear dishevelment in the Rovers' defence, Queen's had failed to make them pay.
Stuart Jack had another shot, which was tipped away by the keeper, but after this the pressure died down on the Rovers' goal, and Queen's seemed to have lost the momentum of their previous attacks. On 81 minutes though, the equalising goal we had been waiting not-so-patiently for finally showed up. Incredibly, the source was a penalty kick, the 4th of the game, and yet the first of an action packed second half. A Lumsden foul on Stuart Jack stopped the young forward's run, and resulted in a yellow card for the culprit. Part 2 of this report