queens_montrose

Queen's Park

( McAuley )

Montrose

( Michie )

A game that started out looking like another win for Queen's only ended up couched in frustration, under-achievement and the enveloping greyness which comes free with most Queen's home games. A draw would have been the inevitable and fair outcome had it not been for the 'Hampden Surge' closing 20 minutes, when Queen's got a grip of themselves and squandered several chances, with David Menelaws the prime culprit. Against such an ordinary team as Montrose, Queen's have quite simply got to do better. Perversely, today's display will probably have no negative effect on our chances of beating Livingston on Tuesday, and it could even go the other way with this Queen's team.
     The opening stages were more of a more promising nature than most of our recent Montrose matches, with Stephen McAuley determined to get involved from the beginning to cement his place in the side. A strong player, McAuley possesses a deft turn on the ball and tenacity in possession. He used the latter well after 6 minutes, wriggling through before being squeezed out, with the ball falling to Graham whose strike was cleared a few yards from the goal-line. Earlier, the first of the worrying gaps in the Queen's defence had been glimpsed when Michie strode away from Whelan before shooting meekly wide.
     Canning dragged the ball wide from Graham's knockdown in the 9th minute, and one of Queen's best moves of the game followed after 14 minutes, resulting in McAuley swinging at the ball in mid-air to volley toward goal. It was knocked wide for a corner, and the latter's partial clearance allowed Reilly to bend wide from 20 yards.
     Montrose began to feel their way cautiously into the game and were almost rewarded with a goal. Brash's looping header didn't trouble Scrimgour, Conway blasted a cut-back free-kick mountains high, but Michie should have put them in front in the 22nd minute. The assist was a freak deflection from Ferry which fell perfectly into the on-loan Aberdeen striker's path, but instead of shooting firmly at goal, inexplicably he elected to square it across the area, allowing Fallon to mop up.
     While the match had been even, Queen's had enjoyed most of the possession, and looked more comfortable on the ball. They took the lead after 31 minutes, McAuley following up to push the ball home after Moffat's advance had seen him shoot powerfully off a defender.
    This should have settled Queen's down, but inexcusably they almost conceded within seconds. Michie turned Fallon on the right hand side of the box, and while his ball across was again disappointing, the danger was not removed until Ferry executed a perfect slide tackle at the back post to prevent a near-certain goal.
     And although we looked relatively safe as half-time approached, slack defending let Queen's down as earlier events had hinted may happen. The defence was opened up, and Kerrigan's header reached Michie at the back post, who forced the ball past Scrimgour with an outstretched boot. This sort of irresponsible defending would have to be stamped out.
     The wind had been taken out of Queen's sails, and nothing at the start of the second half seemed to improve the situation. Brash could have scored in the 49th minute when he nearly capitalised on a misjudged cross, sending the ball wide with Scrimgour stranded. And Montrose were looking cooller in possession than a sluggish Queen's team.
     However Stephen McAuley still looked motivated and his tenacity, coupled with Reilly's strong run, almost produced a goal 5 minutes later. It was a surprise then that Brannigan decided to replace him with David Menelaws.
     Just when it seemed an injection of pace was what Queen's required, the slow and steady legs of Paul Harvey were called upon to take the place of an ineffective Canning. Within minutes though, Harvey had almost made his mark, curling a delicious free-kick from the edge of the box only inches past.
     Apart from this, Harvey's introduction failed to shake Queen's out of their lethargy. The second half slipped by in pedestrian fashion, with Montrose seeming increasingly keen to settle for a draw, and Queen's showing little more adventure - until the infamous closing stages. With fifteen minutes to go, Queen's bucked up their ideas and began to test Montrose - but it seemed more out of desperation than anything else.
     A couple of Graham headers were not picked up on by his fellow attackers, but when someone, namely David Menelaws, was able to collect a Graham assist, he made a complete mess of the finish, slicing the ball wide after being put straight through. Obviously Davie is lacking in belief at the moment, and his first team chances may get scarcer with McAuley having scored his first goal, Carroll nearing fitness and Carcary oozing potential.
     Ally Graham then almost scored himself with only a minute left, bulleting a header at goal which skimmed the crossbar. Queen's kept pressing, admittedly to their credit, and following a neat step infield from Danny Ferry his cross was met by Menelaws, but the hapless Davie could only glance his header wide a short distance from the line. That was it, although the delayed reactions of 'first-ever satellite link referee' Willie Young gave us hope of more injury time than was required; in fact a nasty injury to Montrose defender Frank Conway, who was stretchered off with a broken shin, did postpone the whistle for a while.
     Knowing that McCallum, Agostini and Carroll should all be back by next Saturday for the trip to Firs Park ( and if not then, the Peterhead game ), the restraints forced on the coach will be eased a little; he will surely move Moffat back into central defence, shift Whelan back into the middle of the park ( though at who's expense - probably Canning / Harvey ) and let Agostini and McCallum take their natural positions. This will provide better balance, strength at the back and Whelan's indefatigability in midfield. Against Livingston though the team from today will remain; a more passionate display from them is virtually certain. Oh if only we could bring our cup form to these run-of-the-mill league games.


Queen's Park: Derek Scrimgour, Danny Ferry, Steven Moffat ( John Thompson 78 ), Steven Reilly, Richard Sinclair, Steven Fallon, Ross Clark, Steven Canning ( Paul Harvey 54 ), Ally Graham, Johnny Whelan, Stephen McAuley ( David Menelaws 59 ).
Substitutes not used: Brian McCue, Paddy Gallagher.

Booked: Ross Clark.
Goal: Stephen McAuley 31.

Montrose: Michael Hankinson, Barry Donachie, Stuart Ferguson, John McQuillan, Mark Simpson, Frank Conway, Craig Smart ( Ray Sharp 72 ), Trialist ( Craig Farnan 72 ), Scott Michie ( Jamie Watt 84 ), Steven Kerrigan, Ralph Brand. Substitutes not used: Trialist, Greig Smith.

Goal: Scott Michie 40.

Referee: W. Young.
Attendance: 490.

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