stirling_queens_15_11

Stirling Albion

Queen's Park

( Ferguson )

Why did it have to be like this? On a day when the Scotland team rejuvenated football in this country and made national history, Queen's were forced to play and disappointingly was how they played. Forever, our memories of the euphoric events at Hampden will be tempered by what went before. And it is utterly in keeping with the paradoxical nature of the Scottish game that such bog-standard league fixtures should be asked to compete with a massive international. Granted, those fans who wanted to be at both games would, as it turned out, have been able to do so - but the setting of our game in time made it all seem a tad incongruous.
     The game at Forthbank was nothing special, as Queen's turned in a typical display in going down narrowly - clueless up front, second best in midfield, but resolute in defence. So was Kenny Brannigan justified in setting out the stall defensively from the off? Possibly, as we held out for 92 minutes and did create a few chances on the break. But in truth it would have made precious little difference if we had played 1 at the back and 10 up front - such is the poor form of certain players, including Ross Clark whose pass completion ratio must have been in the hundredths, that formations become decidedly irrelevant.
     The cold air and early kick-off meant for a rather desolate Forthbank come midday, although the crowd of around 600 was better than expected, containing around 80-100 QP followers. They saw little to impress them in an anonymous opening spell, and it was not until the 9th minute that a serious effort was registered, McLean heading meekly wide after a flick-on set him up. Three minutes later McAuley took advantage of Scrimgour's long, bouncing clearance which Rowe misjudged to home in on goal from the left, and his rising shot was tipped away by Hogarth at his near post. Rowe's recovery had been sufficient to distract McAuley from getting his shot in cleanly from what was a good scoring position.
     Both sides were playing too many aimless high balls to be creative, and mistakes were commonplace. McKinnon's drilled low shot was held by Scrimgour in the 15th minute, before weak passbacks were traded with both goalkeepers scarcely able to clear. Then in 20 minutes it was McKinnon again ( he always makes an impression on Queen's ) who forced his way through before giving Scrimgour little concern with his shot.
     A burst from Fallon set up McAuley for a pass to Whelan, but Jonny failed to realise the space he had, and Hogarth easily caught his curling shot aimed at the top corner. And with Graham being deployed in a far deeper role than usual, Clark lacklustre about pushing forward and McAuley starved of service there was little to write home about Queen's attack during the first half.
     At least Derek Scrimgour was keeping up his high standards, coping with Hay's bending free-kick, then making a superb block to prevent a worryingly isolated McLean scoring with a downward volley. Jonny Whelan then almost got lucky from 35 yards, punting a high ball towards goal which Hogarth pawed over the top.
     Ross Clark picked up a yellow card for leaving his foot in during a lunging tackle on Smith on 40 minutes, as his day ebbed from bad to worse. You may think I'm being too harsh on Clark but after his performance at Inverness, and some others that were only a little less good, I thought we had a great player on our hands. Sadly he has been a shadow of his former self recently and perhaps a spell out of the team would be a solution - impossible so far because of injuries etc.
     With a minute left until half-time Queen's should have taken the lead. Thompson's corner from the right wing was met by the unmarked Moffat who hit the ball firmly enough but narrowly over the top. Had Agostini or Whelan got this chance they would surely have put it away.
     So while not a particularly good game it looked clear that Queen's could take something from it if only they defended properly - and a draw away at the runaway leaders would have to be considered a decent result. In fact, Queen's were livelier in the first 20 minutes of the second half but entertainment was scarcer than at an Andy Cameron stand-up show. Andy Smith lashed a shot barely over after 52 minutes, and 15 minutes on Stephen McAuley found himself in space after a Stirling error, but lacked support and failed to get past McNally. But there were holes in the Stirling defence, so much was certain. How we could have done with Derek Carcary to terrorise the lumbering defensive pair of Rowe and McNally, but inexplicably he had not even made the squad.
     There was a scare two minutes later, and Stirling should really have made their pressure count, but in a jammed goalmouth Hay's attempt was smashed away by Ally Graham. As the game sprang to life, another opportunity was squandered by the home team shortly after, Elliot's shot being kicked away by Moffat after the substitute had rounded Scrimgour. Elliot followed up but Agostini relieved the pressure.
     A potential turning-point arrived with fifteen minutes remaining. Stirling's young Ulsterman Andy Smith was stretchered from the field, and as Allan Moore had made all three changes they were down to ten men for the remainder of the match. Surely now Queen's could... ( voice trails away in frustration ).
     Ally Graham, having a poor game, was replaced by Frankie Carroll with 12 minutes to go, and if anything it was a belated switch. Our moment came in the 81st minute when Jonny Whelan was sent clean through, and with time and only Hogarth to beat he had to score. Sickeningly, his shot was weak, straight at the goalkeeper's legs, and the frustration was just too much.
     Queen's now looked the more likely side, and clever play from Kettlewell sent Ferry clear down the right, only for his pass into the box to be intercepted. Carroll also went close to gathering Clark's high ball up the park as Stirling's central defensive pairing tired.
      It looked over, and neither team had deserved anything more than a point. But Queen's managed to throw it away in stoppage time. Wilson's simple ball from the right caught the defence off guard, and Ferguson gathered inside the penalty area to break clear and drive a left foot shot into the net well beyond Scrimgour. It could be best be described as the mark of true champions, which is what Stirling Albion will surely be - scoring and winning when it seemed least likely. Or else we could call it plain jamminess. No matter - it won the match. And left Queen's marooned in eighth position, seemingly destined to forever remain a bottom-half-of-the-league team.
     Anyway the rest of the day went smoothly enough, except for your correspondent missing the Scotland goal. Just wish I could say I'd missed a Queen's goal, but it's getting to the point you need to be a septagenarian merely to remember one.

Stirling Albion: Myles Hogarth, Chris Scotland, Paul Hay, Mark McNally, George Rowe, Andy Smith, Andy Gibson, Colin McKinnon ( Craig Ferguson 41 ), Scott McLean, Ryan Davidson ( Barry Elliot 54 ), David O'Brien ( Dougie Wilson 63 ). Substitutes not used: Gary Kelly, Scott Morrison.

Goal: Craig Ferguson 90.

Queen's Park: Derek Scrimgour, Danny Ferry, John Thompson, Steven Moffat, Damiano Agostini, Steven Fallon, Ross Clark, Stuart Kettlewell, Ally Graham ( Frankie Carroll 78 ), Jonny Whelan, Stephen McAuley. Substitutes not used: Paddy Gallagher, David McCallum, Steven Canning, David Crawford.

Booked: Clark, Kettlewell.

Referee: C. Thomson.
Attendance: 590.

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