Our Kingdom For A Goal

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By The Spider
October 19 2002

Saturday, 19th October, 2002 Queen’s Park 0 Montrose 1 (Bells Scottish League - Division Three)

There can be nothing more disheartening for a team than to to totally dominate your opponents for forty five minutes, miss countless chances due to a combination of poor finishing and great goalkeeping, and yet to concede a simple goal and go in at half time a goal down.

Right from kick-off Queen's were all over a poor Montrose side and Stephen Canning forced a corner within seconds of the start. The same player shot narrowly over from 25 yards in the 2nd minute but the best chances came in the 6th minute.

Firstly Willie Martin saw his header from a Jimmy Allan corner cleared off the line for another corner and this time Johnny Whelan was the player denied by a goal-line clearance when his touch from a Willie Martin head-flick was knocked a way at the back post with 'keeper Campbell again taking on a mere spectator's role.

On the quarter of an hour mark John Gallagher went on a mazey dribble past three opponents in the Montrose penalty area only to be denied by a fourth, before Montrose went up the park to score the most basic of goals in their first serious attack. Ferguson swung over a deep corner from the left and Robbie Henderson was completely unmarked on the edge of the six yard box to nod the ball home. There can be no bad luck excuses for that one - it was shocking defending and questions need to be asked to make sure that it doesn't happen again soon.

The equaliser nearly came just two minutes later though when Tony Quinn played a neat one-two with Stephen Canning only to see his low left foot shot from Canning's neat back heel pass rebound off Campbell's feet before being cleared to safety.

Jimmy Allan was next to try his luck when the ball fell kindly to him from a long Johnny Whelan throw in, but again Campbell was well positioned to deny the Queen's winger.

Campbell again came to his side's rescue in the 30th minute when Stephen Canning was the next beneficiary of a long Whelan throw in, but the youngster's left foot shot after a neat turn lacked sufficient power to evade the 'keeper's reach. As Queen's kept up the pressure, Jimmy Allan fired in a left foot shot from 25 yards, but it was always going to clear the crossbar.

Campbell produced a magnificent save in the 33rd minute which was to ultimately break the hearts of the Queen's players who had put so much into the game up to this point for no reward. Again the Montrose defence coped woefully with a long Whelan throw in and Stephen Canning must have thought he had scored when he wheeled to his left and shot low past Campbell towards the far post. Incredibly though the keeper showed incredible reflexes to get down to the ball to palm it away with his left hand to leave Queen's players and supporters shaking their heads in disbelief.

It was a pivotal moment in the game as Queen's confidence began to drop whilst Montrose clearly began to believe that this perhaps was going to be their day after all. Indeed, within seconds, Henderson hooked a right foot shot into the side netting from close range and then, three minutes before half time, the same player completely missed the ball when unmarked on the edge of the six yard box.

Queen's were a mere shadow of themselves in a woeful second half and only had a 52nd minute measured drive from Johnny Whelan to show for their efforts. Like previous occasions, Campbell was equal to it though and did well to get up to tip the midfielder's 30 yard strike over the bar for a corner.

The few remaining opportunities all came Montrose's way. Christie saw a 59th minute netbound header deflected over the bar for a corner before Kerrigan earned himself the only booking of the game for a rash challenge from behind as Whelan sped away from him towards the Montrose area.

It was Whelan who came to Queen's rescue with 15 minutes remaining when he popped up at the back post to clear a shot off the line, and then Colin Stewart touched over a fierce 81st minute drive from McDonald before the game petered out to its inevitable conclusion.

More worrying than the final result for John McCormack was the lack of inspiration or creativity shown by Queen's during the second half and he now has seven days to put that aspect right before next Saturday's long trip to Elgin where points are difficult to come by.

ENTERTAINMENT VALUE : 3/5           STAR SPIDER : STEVEN MOFFAT (a class above the rest)

QUEEN’S PARK : Colin Stewart, Danny Ferry, John Gallagher, Steven Moffat, Damiano Agostini, Stevie Fallon, Stephen Canning (Stewart Jack - 60), Johnny Whelan, Willie Martin (Allan Dunning - 71), Tony Quinn, Jimmy Allan

Subs (not used) : Stewart Thomson (GK), Jamie White, Ross Clarke

Scorer(s) : none

Booked : none

MONTROSE  : Jamie Cambell, Graeme McCheyne, Stuart Ferguson, Keith Gibson, Graeme Christie, John McQuillan, Kevin Webster (David Craig - 83), Grant Johnson, Steve Kerrigan (Ian Gilzean - 71), Robbie Henderson (Colin McDonald - 60), Chris Webster

Subs (not used) : Gary McGlynn (GK), Ralph Brand

Scorer(s) : Henderson (16 mins)

Booked : Kerrigan (70 - trip from behind)

REFEREE :  Brian Winter *** (* = inept, ** = poor, *** = mediocre, **** = good, ***** = excellent)