Peterhead Cruise To Victory As Queen's Outplayed

hard to dispossess
By The Spider
March 30 2003

Saturday, 29th March, 2003 Peterhead 3 Queen's Park 1 (Bells Scottish League - Third Division)

It is often said that statistics don't tell lies but, confusingly so, also that there are lies, damned lies, and statistics. The figures from this game will tell you that with both sides sharing the same number of goal attempts, this was a fairly even game, but sadly nothing could be further from the truth, and the latter of the initial statements therefore applies.

Seldom, if ever, can Queen's have been so outplayed during the last twenty five minutes of a first half, as once more Peterhead ultimately proved themselves to be far and away the best footballing side in the Division. Whether that will be enough to hold off Cowboy's strong Morton side, or even the persistent Albion Rovers, remains to be seen but for entertainment value alone there can be no doubt that Peterhead do deserve some reward for this season's attempts to entertain.

Queen's, with Paddy Gallagher and Chris Fisher in the starting line-up in place of John Gemmell and the achilles-inflicted Jimmy Allan, looked energetic enough at the start at David McCallum brought out an early save from Mathers with a low drive from 25 yards.

It took the home side until the 7th minute to test Mark Cairns though, it requiring a long range effort from Mackay to bring the Queen's 'keeper to his knees. A minute later Queen's produced some scintillating soccer as a series of one touch passes from Gallagher to Martin to Fisher to Kettlewell to Ferry and then back to Kettlewell again, resulted in Danny Ferry being played through into the right edge of the penalty area, but the Queen's skipper's final ball was poor and was easily collected by Mathers at waist height.

Cairns was in action again in the 11th minute when he saved a Johnston shot on the turn, but Queen's were looking the more dangerous side on the break and a Danny Ferry cross found Willie Martin who had peeled off his marker to the back post, but the striker's looping header could only find the top of the net. The Spiders' best chance of the game came in the 14th minute when a superb defence splitting pass from Willie Martin sent Stuart Kettlewell galloping into the area. Mathers did well to advance off his line to force the youngster wide to the byeline resulting in the midfielder having to send a low cross across the face of the goal, but there was nobody in support to convert the chance.

It was a wasted opportunity that would quickly be regretted when Peterhead opened the scoring a few minutes later. Johnston found himself free in the area and lobbed the advancing Mark Cairns, but although the striker's effort bounced down off the face of the bar, the predatory instincts of Iain Stewart had put him in the right place at the right time and the retreating Cairns could only watch as the diminutive poacher stooped to nod the ball into the empty net.

Now a goal ahead, you could sense that a weight of expectation had now been lifted from the home side's shoulders, and they now proceeded to produce some dazzling football which rivalled some of the best seen in this division in recent years. A superb breakaway move just two minutes later required a great last second intervention from Stevie Fallon to keep Queen's from going further behind as Peterhead began to turn the screw.

Mackay drove over the bar after being set up at the edge of the area by a clever reverse flick from Stewart, before Cairns came to the rescue with an excellent diving save to his right to tip away MacDonald's powerful low drive. A deep cross to the back post then left the Queen's 'keeper stranded, and it was only Stewart's lack of height which prevented him from getting more on the ball instead of nodding it just over the bar.

In a rare venture into their opponents half, Queen's lifted the hopes of their small band of supporters as David McCallum forced Mathers into making a good save with a low shot from just inside the area, but the visitors were quickly pinned back inside their own half again. With Richard Sinclair and Damiano Agostini being forced into a series of hasty series, it required the usually steady head of Stevie Fallon to hold the defence together, but he too began to succumb to the increasing pressure and also began to look a shadow of his normal self.

It looked only a matter of time before a second goal came, and with the defence run ragged once more, Mark Cairns was completely exposed when Johnston's 36th minute cross from the right was met by Stewart and, although the 'keeper produced a fantastic reaction save to block the close range volley, Stuart Mackay was first to react and pounced to stab the ball home.

Fears that Queen's might collapse at this stage were fortunately not realised, and thanks to a safety in numbers approach which saw every visiting player get goal side of the ball wherever possible, The Spiders somehow managed to hold out till half time without conceding another.

As Queen's had been in the same position the prior Saturday, before nearly rescuing the game in a spirited second half performance, no doubt Kenny Brannigan was pointing out to his beleaguered players that they were more than capable of doing the same again. Unfortunately, in the home dressing room, the Peterhead side was being told exactly the same story and encouraged to go out to get an early goal to finish off the contest.

That goal came in the 50th minute of the game, but in circumstances that will not have best pleased the Q.P. coach. After going over on his ankle badly a couple of minutes beforehand, Danny Ferry was still hobbling and unable to give chase as Roddie sped by him on the left wing. As two central defenders moved towards the touchline to provide cover, the winger simply pulled the ball back onto his right foot and crossed it into the middle where two opponents lay completely unmarked right in front of goal. Stewart could have stretched for it, but having heard a shout immediately to his right, he left it for Martin Johnston to volley past the exposed Cairns from just six yards out.

Queen's now looked a thoroughly demoralised and ragged bunch, ready to be put to the sword, but somehow they now managed to pull themselves together and staged an entirely credible fightback. That may in part be due to Peterhead taking their foot of the gas with the points secure, and it can also be pointed out that most of Queen's efforts were from long range, but all credit to them for at least providing their fans with a consolation goal and a restoration of pride.

That goal should have come just two minutes after Peterhead's third. Damiano Agostini had a free header right in front of goal from a right wing corner, but somehow contrived to miss the ball completely before both Willie Martin and Richard Sinclair had netbound shots blocked at point blank range.

With just over an hour played, Danny Ferry swung wildly at the ball to blast it out of the ground when it fell kindly for him at the edge of the area, before Raeside got a far better connection at the other end from a partially cleared corner to send his effort narrowly past the right hand post.

However, the remainder of the game was virtually all Queen's. Stuart Kettlewell brought out a good save from Mathers in the 67th minute, but the home 'keeper was left helpless a minute later. In similar style to Agostini, centre half Perry completely missed a free header right in front of goal and a quick counter down the left from Queen's saw David Menelaws headflick the ball into the path of his fellow sub John Gemmell who nearly took the net away as he thrashed the ball past Mathers's left hand from 15 yards.

To be fair, Queen's never seriously threatened again, but it was at least encouraging to see a succession of long range efforts fired in by Canning, Fallon, McCallum and Clark with the first and last of those requiring good saves from Mathers, whilst the other two went narrowly over the bar.

In a game that was at times fiercely contested by both sides, it was good to see some common sense refereeing for a change with John Gilmore preferring to have a quiet word in errant player's ears rather than dish out the host of yellow cards that others in charge of this fixture could well have produced. Yes, Gilmore made a couple of wrong decisions, but he was at least both communicative and consistent, and that's all that you can really hope of an official at this level. It's just a pity that it's taken until the end of March to find one who meets the expected criteria!

With the end of the season now looming, and a massive change of personnel during the summer a distinct possibility, not all of them necessarily by the choice of the choice of the players involved, the visit to Firs Park next Saturday provides an opportunity for those players who want to be part of next season's squad to demonstrate what they are capable of when Queen's are the stronger side. East Stirlingshire have been a sorry lot this season, and KB will be rightly demanding that his side provide him with a convincing Queen's win, but as he well knows from his first game in charge, both of the two wins that the Falkirk based side have been able to celebrate this season have come at the expense of The Spiders, and it would be a sad state of affairs were they to make it a treble.

Johnny Whelan should return after suspension, and his presence in midfield will hopefully ensure that Queen's return to winning ways.

ENTERTAINMENT VALUE : 4/5           STAR SPIDER : Stuart Kettlewell (improving with every game)

QUEEN’S PARK : Mark Cairns, Danny Ferry, David McCallum, Richard Sinclair, Damiano Agostini, Stevie Fallon, Paddy Gallagher (Stephen Canning - 69), Stuart Kettlewell, Willie Martin (John Gemmell - 55), Ross Clark, Chris Fisher (David Menelaws - 55)

Subs (not used) : Tony Mitchell (GK), Jamie White

Scorer(s) : Gemmell (68 mins)

Booked : none

PETERHEAD  : Paul Mathers, Calum MacDonald, Sean McSkimming, Robbie Raeside, Mark Perry, Stuart Mackay, Kevin Tindal, Iain Stewart, Dougie Cameron, Martin Johnston (Lamine Camara - 75), Andy Roddie (Gordon Burns - 86)

Subs (not used) : John Farquhar (GK), Keith Robertson, Mark Simpson

Scorer(s) : Stewart (20 mins), Mackay (36 mins), Johnston (50 mins)

Booked : none

REFEREE : John Gilmore ***** (* = inept, ** = poor, *** = mediocre, **** = good, ***** = excellent)