queens_rovers_27_08

Queen's Park

Albion Rovers

( Ferry 2, Felvus )

( Bonnar )

Queen's finally enjoyed a win over Albion Rovers at Hampden again, nearly six years since it last happened. And it was the kind of win that makes you think Queen's might just be cut out to challenge this season - we won despite not being at the top of our game. The first-half performance was seriously disjointed, with hardly a pass going right, and it was clear that Billy Stark's tactic of playing one man up front ( Richard Bowers ) was seriously flawed. Paul Harvey was unable to pull the strings from the more attacking role he was given, and Bowers struggled to show any presence, but Stark thankfully addressed his mistake at half-time, bringing on Bryan Felvus. In truth, the two goals that put Queen's into the lead were more down to good fortune than good management, but they induced Queen's to play like a different team. Albion Rovers appear to possess some decent young players, particularly Gordon Lennon, but lack the weight and sheer power that made them such tough opponents in the past.
     There were a couple of changes made to the team that did so well against Hearts in midweek; Andy McGinty replaced Shaun Molloy at left back, who appears to have been dropped but was listed as a substitute. Steven Reilly was back in the team to take McGinty's central defensive berth. Damiano Agostini was fit enough to make the bench, with Richard Sinclair passing a late fitness test to play.
    It was the all-new Albion Rovers team that made the early running, with Ian Chisholm, their top scorer, getting beyond Crawford in the 6th minute on the Queen's right wing only to hook his angled shot well away from goal. Then Friel got away as Queen's once more seemed to have problems in the right-back position. He drilled the ball into the box, and Chisholm slid in, but the shot was straight at Crawford.
    A Martin Bonnar shot in the 15th minute was directed at a comfortable height for Crawford, but within a minute the former Queen's player, a unanimous failure at Hampden, had opened the scoring. Worryingly, the goal was to originate on the Queen's right-hand side, with Friel riding a tackle before sending over a straightforward cross which the unmarked Bonnar diverted beyond Crawford. A simple, preventable goal.
    Possibly the switch of right-backs from Clark to McGinty, with Clark taking Molloy's place at left-back, was responsible for the weakness in that position. Indeed, Molloy's absence was mysterious, though he was restored to the team midway through the second-half.
    Rovers were easily the more threatening team in the opening half-hour as Queen's struggled to get to grips with Billy Stark's puzzling tactical and personnel changes. McGhee whacked a rising free-kick over the top in the 22nd minute, and it wasn't until six minutes later that Queen's registered a goal chance, Harvey and Bowers combining to set up Kettlewell on the edge of the 6-yard box, only for a swift block tackle to prevent Stuart getting to the ball as he slid in. Queen's began to recover ground from this point, and an inviting Clark cross from the left was met by Ferry, whose towering header was palmed onto the bar by Ewings. The rebound was safely knocked behind, and from the corner Ferry took advantage of uncertain marking ( and Rovers are certainly a smaller team than they used to be ) to nod the ball on for Weir, whose header deflected off a Rovers head but should really have been better placed.
    In the 39th minute Richard Bowers went down having seemingly been struck in the face, but the linesman, not too far away, saw nothing untoward. And after that brief flurry of corners Queen's would look disorganised for the rest of the half, with Chisholm breaking through in the 41st minute but lacking any power in his shot. Tame up front, too nice at the back, Queen's needed stiffening up at half-time, and Billy Stark's inevitably conceded that an extra forward was needed, introducing Bryan Felvus for John Weir. And amazingly, within 4 minutes Queen's would have turned the game on its head.
    The first goal arrived somewhat fortuitously. Kettlewell found space on the right-wing, and got the break of the ball to take him beyond Noble. He drilled the ball low across goal but Ewings appeared to have it covered. However, the ball slipped away from the goalkeeper and Mark Ferry was in place to tap the ball home at the back post.
    Queen's immediately launched into attack again, and we didn't have to wait for the second goal. Harvey's corner kick from the right dropped for Ferry, and his low right-foot volley squeezed in at the right-hand post. The defender on the line could have done better granted, but Ferry had once again illustrated his goal instinct, leaving the Rovers players to stare at each other in bewilderment. In March, they had nabbed three quick, scrappy goals to beat Queen's. This felt very much like a second helping of revenge - we did, after all, beat them 4-0 at Cliftonhill just 10 days after that.
    Of course the game was not over but Rovers never looked like recovering. They threw on Tommy Franch for Lee Sichi, and on the hour mark a dangerous cross from Lennox flashed across the goalmouth. But Queen's were now filled with belief, and so were their fans. We could sense the end of the road for Rovers.
    Shaun Molloy replaced Richard Sinclair with 20 minutes to go, McGinty reverting to his best position. Three minutes later, Mark Ferry almost managed a surreal hat-trick when his looping header from 25 yards fell a couple of yards wide of goal. Ferry had picked up on a loose ball following Bowers good chase which had been fended off by a defender.
    Cheers abounded for Jonny Whelan's introduction in the 77th minute, Bowers going off, and they were almost as loud when Martin Bonnar was substituted a minute later. Then, as Rovers wilted, came one of the worst corner-kicks I have ever seen. Whelan had done brilliantly to run back and clear shortly before, and from the corner, Rovers couldn't get the ball off the ground, the meek kick running straight to the nearest QP defender whom the taker had obviously gambled on jumping in front of it. But by this point Queen's weren't going to accept anything Rovers offered them.
    With a minute left, Lennox almost reached McGhee's firm forward header but Crawford swooped on the ball before his toes could reach it. We looked genuinely safe, but a clinching third goal put the win beyond doubt. Bryan Felvus collected the ball on the left of the area, went round a defender and unleashed a firm shot across the goalkeeper which flew into the net. His first goal since last September, and another run that has come to an end. But will this day mark the start of another, namely one that takes Queen's into the play-offs?

Queen's Park: David Crawford, Ross Clark, Andy McGinty, Steven Reilly, Richard Sinclair ( Shaun Molloy 70 ), Paul Harvey, Stuart Kettlewell, Tony Quinn, Richard Bowers ( Jonny Whelan 77 ) , John Weir ( Bryan Felvus 46 ), Mark Ferry. Substitutes not used: Damiano Agostini, Alexander Cowie.
Booked: Quinn.
Goals: Ferry 46, 49, Felvus 90.

Albion Rovers: Jamie Ewings, Thomas Lennox, Steven Noble, Gordon Lennon, Graham McGhee, Martin Bonnar ( Craig Young 79 ), Lee Sichi ( Tommy Franch 52 ), Scott Friel, Lee Wilson ( Stephen Reid 71 ), Ian Chisholm, Donachy. Substitutes not used: Ciaran Donnelly, Allan Creer.
Goal: Bonnar 16.

Referee: Colin Brown.
Attendance: 503.

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