| Queen's Park |
| Hamilton Academical |
| 2 |
| 1 |
| (Canning, Bowers) |
| (Offiong) |
| An outstanding performance from Queen's brought the elimination of First Division Hamilton from the League Cup, and got our season underway in earnest. Responding ferociously to Saturday's lacklustre display, Queen's had to overcome the abomination that was referee Eddie Smith to get the win; for not only did the man Smith award Hamilton two nonsensical penalties, his general conduct was that of someone who'd rather not have been there. Consistently he got trivial decisions wrong - throw-ins, corners, free kicks, you name it, he blew it. That he was able to blow his whistle to get things underway in the first place was mildly surprising; and come 90 minutes, with the score 1-1, I half expected to see the players led from the field, as who could have expected him to know that this was in fact a cup game? But enough of him. There's enough to be said about the Queen's team, each and every one of whom was a star performer. Hamilton may have been embarassed, but by a keen and fearless Queen's side who took their chances exceedingly well and defended with cold steel in their veins. As for David Crawford, this was the SECOND time in the space of a year that he had saved two penalties in the course of a single game; have Queen's ever had a better goalkeeper, and one who's only 21 at that? Welcoming Steven Reilly back into the fold, and gladly too, Billy Stark fitted him into a three-man defence, with Paton returning at right wing-back. He would have played in midfield were it not for an injury to Alan Trouten in the warm-up, which forced Tony Quinn's introduction to the team - he took Paton's place. It was to prove a fantastic cup-tie, and from the first couple of minutes you could tell how gripped you'd be. Hamilton striker Offiong came rushing into the box, and faced Agostini; as the defender's leg went out, the Englishman fell theatrically over it. Smith gave the foul, but Fleming's weakly struck kick was easily parried by Crawford, and the rebound hacked to safety by the defence. Who knows what a goal that early might have done to Queen's, but they were patently inspired by Crawford's save and within 5 minutes had taken the lead. Strong, energetic running from Carroll on the left enabled him to break free, and from his ball inside Steven Canning took the break of the ball and lobbed a shot over the advancing McEwan. Hamilton came forward again quickly, but Offiong could do no better than blast over on the turn inside a packed box. Perhaps he'd have been better off just collapsing to earth again. Queen's, for their part, would go on to play some sweet football, with a sustained move in the 20th minute twice finding Frankie Carroll cross over from the right, only for the ball to be narrowly missed by Canning, then Weatherston. Canning was heavily involved in that move, and Queen's play in general, showing a touch and poise that hadn't been evident against Arbroath. In the 29th minute, Weatherston drilled in a volley from the corner of the box, and the ball was held by McEwan right in front of the post. Queen's no. 11 was a constant danger with his pace, and three minutes later went on a thrilling run which only broke down when no one could get on the end of his delivery. A pointed sign of Hamilton's predicament came when Billy Reid hauled off his captain Marvyn Wilson, and it was hardly surprising that the two should share words as Wilson stormed up the tunnel. Hamilton were labouring, but Queen's also weren't finding it easy to play their football, thanks to Mr. Smith. He refused advantages and wouldn't let the game flow at all, and at this stage looked more of a threat than any Hamilton player. In the 42nd minute, Weatherston broke free beautifully on the right, with Carroll chasing furiously for the area in support, but when the cross came in it was Tony Quinn who received it, and lashed a fierce drive that McEwan tipped away for a corner. This was inevitably taken short, and badly, and Hamilton ended up making a chance for themselves out of it. Offiong robbed Dunlop and broke forward speedily, with the move ending in Agnew's lame punt into Crawford's hands. The same player went down in the area a minute later; it was probably a more reasonable claim than the one given earlier but this time Smith said no. Funny that we should be saying the same to him all night. Hamilton had no means of foiling Weatherston, and within a minute of the second half beginning he had burst away again down the right, shooting from an impossible angle but nonetheless making McEwan work. The only problems were that his wing play and Frankie's diligence all over the park were keeping men out of the box. Offiong was becoming a major influence on the game, both positively and negatively. In the 54th minute his overhead kick from Fleming's cross flashed just past. Two minutes later, he was involved in another bizarre penalty decision when his volley struck Agostini on the chest at close range. Offiong took himself this time, but again David Crawford dived to his right and made the save, an even harder one this time. The shouts of anger from the Hamilton end just got louder. Crawford made another great save from Agnew 6 minutes on, but he was finally beaten in the 73rd minute. A long ball forward from Hamilton could only be headed back by Reilly, much as Quinn had done against Arbroath, and Offiong swooped to loft the ball over the keeper for it to hit the roof of the net. For the remainder of the 90 minutes Hamilton would pound at the Queen's goal, and it was testament to our fitness that we held out. Another fine effort from Agnew in the 78th minute was pushed away by Crawford, and two minutes later Agostini got his foot in the way of Offiong's attempt. Crawford saved from Agnew again two minutes later, and a corner caused panic soon after, Gilhaney curling a shot over. But Queen's held out to force extra-time, an achievement in itself. Conventional wisdom would now suggest that it should be Hamilton that triumphed. Yet Queen's have never been a conventional club, and we started extra time well, Canning and substitute Bowers going close. Then, in the 99th minute, Richard Offiong's game came to an end after he took a swipe at a Queen's player just inside the QP half. Now it was Queen's who seemed to hold the advantage, but when was the last time we managed to see off ten men? Wait, because here it comes... Half-time came with Billy Stark throwing on Paul Ronald for Damiano Agostini; an obviously attacking move. Queen's were never going to play for penalties, especially not with their man 'advantage'. And it paid off. In the 108th minute, Richard Bowers beat a centre-back to a high ball, edged in front and lifted the ball precisely over McEwan and into the net. Sensational. Hamilton had little left, bar one fine run from McLeod which ended with Kettlewell heroically blocking Agnew's drive. Apart from that, they were spent. So, Queen's have another cup triumph to sit proudly alongside Inverness and Raith Rovers, and a lot to live up to come Saturday's pilgrimage to Elgin. Queen's Park: David Crawford, Tony Quinn (Michael Keenan 117), Mick Dunlop, Steven Reilly, Richard Sinclair, Damiano Agostini (Paul Ronald 106), Stuart Kettlewell, Paul Paton, Frankie Carroll (Richard Bowers 72), David Weatherston, Steven Canning. Substitutes not used: Shaun Molloy, Mark Cairns. Booked: Paton. Goals: Canning 7, Bowers 108. Hamilton Academical: David McEwan, Tony Stevenson (Tom Parratt 70), Derek Fleming, Steven Thomson, David Elebert, Brian Easton, James McArthur, Marvyn Wilson (Scott Agnew 34), Richard Offiong, Javier Payo (Paul McLeod 65), Mark Gilhaney. Substitutes not used: McArthey, Raymond Jellema. Booked: Wilson, McArthur, Parratt, Easton. Sent-off: Offiong. Goal: Offiong 73. Referee: Eddie Smith. Attendance: 611. |
| After extra time |
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