| Queen's Park |
| 0 |
| Heart of Midlothian |
| 2 |
| ( Jankauskas 2 ) |
| Hearts ultimately strolled past Queen's into the Third Round of the League Cup, but the final score was probably a better one for Queen's than many fans had feared. And the players merited the narrow scoreline, pushing Hearts hard for the entire first half and staying within reach during the second. It was just a shame that we chose last night for two of the worst defensive errors this Queen's team has given us; Hearts looked almost ashamed of their two goals, so blatantly gifted were they. The SPL leaders should have no need of such help, but throughout they rarely came close to scoring through their own devices. For Queen's "biggest game since the FA Cup final" ( as one young fan dubbed it ), Steven Reilly found himself dropped after a shaky game on Saturday, with Andy McGinty recalled in his place. Stuart Kettlewell also returned to the side at right midfield, with Billy Stark preferring to play Bowers as a lone striker. Mark Ferry, Tony Quinn, Paul Harvey and John Weir comprised the rest of the midfield. Hearts opted to rest several players, including most of their foreign summer signings. It appeared some of their fans had also taken a rest, with less than expected in an overall decent 2,429 crowd (roughly 700 of these in the home sections). Queen's kept Hearts quiet in the early stages, and actually forced the first corner of the night in the 10th minute. Paul Harvey couldn't get any leverage on the kick, and six minutes later Hearts took the lead with their first chance. It was cringeworthy viewing for the home support, with Queen's having two opportunities to clear a bobbling ball from their own penalty area and failing to do so. After McGinty's weak attempt, Simmons struck a shot at goal which Crawford should have done more with than parry apologetically back out, Jankauskas appearing to poke the ball beyond him. At times Queen's are guilty of trying to play too much football too close to their own goal, and Billy Stark perhaps should have been clearer in instructing his players to avoid any danger first and foremost. In fact the name Kenny Brannigan was briefly mentioned in the stand, before sense was seen instantly. For a few minutes Queen's did look disjointed, and Ross Clark twice had to act quickly to avert the Hearts threat; first he hoisted a Pospisil cross over his own bar, then did his job at the left-hand post by heading Jankauskas's header off the line. The big Lithuanian then twisted and turned in the box after a defensive slip before blazing his shot high. In the 23rd minute Hearts made their first change, Elliot's introduction for Pospisil the catalyst for derision from home fans unimpressed with the Czech's inability to last the pace. Hearts remained well in command at this point, and Simmons should have done better when attacking Jankauskas's cross from the left, but his jump was mistimed. Jankauskas then missed with a header of his own. After a couple of disputed decisions by referee Smith, Queen's suddenly looked urgent and we began to have a real cup-tie. In 38 minutes a good probe by Stuart Kettlewell wasn't continued by Richard Bowers who continued to look lightweight for the whole game, but in the 40th minute Queen's came desperately close to equalising. Harvey's free-kick from the right was perfectly weighted, and Andy McGinty rose high to bullet a header at goal. Sadly, Craig Gordon was in international form and brilliantly tipped the ball over the bar. Queen's kept the pressure up for the corner, and after a Hearts defender looked as if he may have used an arm to clear (probably his chest in retrospect), the ball fell for Tony Quinn, but on his left foot Tony could no more than volley over the top. Being brutal, he should have scored. Queen's had roused the crowd, and I'm sure most of us were thinking the same thing; keep it this way till half-time, then pummel Hearts in the second-half. But Queen's couldn't manage it - another defensive slip cost us a second goal. An embarassing miskick by Sinclair allowed Jankauskas to gather, and though his shot was poor it took a touch off the helpless McGinty and looped over Crawford. Realistically the tie was now over, and half-time was spent pondering what might have been. Queen's came out for the second-half and were able to stick close to Hearts for the rest of the game, quite easily fending off any fears of a third goal. Tony Quinn in particular was rock-like when defending set-pieces, two towering headers early in the half clearing the danger. Simmons (twice) and Hartley both had nondescript efforts at goal in the opening 20 minutes of the half, and in truth Queen's were even paler in attack, lacking pace in particular. Billy Stark resisted the temptation to put an extra body up front, instead taking off Bowers for Weatherston, but this did little to improve matters, and it's hard to see how we can challenge this season without signing a more commanding forward. In the 72nd minute, Mark Ferry flung himself at a cross from deep but glanced his header wide of the post. He was more culpable a few minutes after when, after receiving from a Clark breakaway, he neglected his team-mate's attentions for a return pass and drove the shot high over. Billy Stark answered the fans cries for Jonny Whelan's introduction, putting him in Weir's place, but he made little impact, having one terrible shot after being fed from his right. Steven Reilly had no time to do anything either. To sum up the game: a win was always extremely unlikely, but had we defended more desperately in the first-half could have forced extra-time out of Hearts. This sort of match could have turned into a bore however, but the players, urged on by a vocal support, didn't let it. And I'll always be glad that we gave them a game, and dream about what would have happened if Craig Gordon had played a little more like Rab Douglas. Queen's Park: David Crawford, Ross Clark, Shaun Molloy, Andy McGinty, Richard Sinclair, Paul Harvey ( Steven Reilly 88 ), Stuart Kettlewell, Tony Quinn, Richard Bowers ( David Weatherston 73 ), John Weir ( Jonny Whelan 81 ), Mark Ferry. Substitutes not used: Bryan Felvus, Alexander Cowie. Heart of Midlothian: Craig Gordon, Andy Webster, Edgaras Jankauskas ( Saulius Mikoliunas 73 ), Neil MacFarlane ( Paul Hartley 39 ), Jamie McAllister, Stephen Simmons, Deividas Cesnauskis, Christophe Berra, Michel Pospisil ( Calum Elliot 23 ), Lee Wallace, Gary Tierney. Substitutes not used: Steven Pressley, Steve Banks. Goals: Jankauskas 20, 44. Referee: Eddie Smith. Attendance: 2,429. |