Just Not Good Enough

Moffat (qpfc.com)
By The Spider
August 25 2003

Saturday, 23rd August, 2003 Albion Rovers 3 Queen's Park 1 (Bells Scottish League – Third Division)

If there was a game that Queen's did not want to be without the services of Damiano Agostini, Ross Clark and Frankie Carroll for, then this was it. Whilst Stephen Moffat and Stuart Kettlewell are more than adequate replacements for the first two named in the right circumstances, a passionate derby match needs players who can grab the game by the scruff of the neck and Agostini and Clark would certainly have ensured that Messrs.Yardley and McCaul would not have had such an easy time of it.

As far as Frankie Carroll is concerned, he is brushed off the ball much less easily than David Menelaws and the 'Rover's defence would certainly have found him much more of a handfull than the erratic Menelaws who is flattering to deceive at present.

That all said, Rovers were without key players too, so all credit to them for having the better strength in depth and they look destined to occupy a top three place at the end of the season, probably fighting out the promotion battle with Peterhead and Gretna.

The early action was tentative and a Kettlewell volley from the edge of the area was far wider of the target than it ought to have been. At the other end, Scrimgour did well to gather at the feet of McAllister as the winger surged into the penalty area in search of a knockdown.

The game sprang to life in the 8th minute when Mercer brought down Stevie Reilly from behind inside the centre circle. However, rather than walk away after the foul had been given, the Queen's midfielder foolishly chose to try to mix it with Mercer and earned himself a booking for talking out of turn in addition to the one that Mercer himself received for the original offence.

David Menelaws had a glorious chance in the 12th minute when Ally Graham knocked the ball into his path, but the supporting striker could only swipe at fresh air before his second attempt was blocked. Steven Reilly then picked up the loose ball at the edge of the area, and his left foot curler beyond Fahey was only inches past the far post.

Stephen Moffat rose at the near post in the 19th minute to meet a right wing corner, but he couldn't get enough on his header which flew across the face of the goal.

Albion Rovers took the lead in the 23rd minute with a goal of the utmost simplicity. The ball was played out to McAllister on the 'Rovers right wing and, with Danny Ferry engaged in other duties, Stephen Moffat was forced to come out to meet him. With Moff still several games short of full match fitness, showing McAllister the outside was the wrong choice on this occasion and the winger easily skipped past the Queen's defender before flighting a perfect cross over Scrimgour to leave the inrushing Mark Yardley the easiest of tasks to nod the ball into the empty net.

Stung by this reversal Queen's won themselves a free kick in a dangerous position on the edge of the 'Rovers area in virtually the same spot that Ally Graham has scored twice from already this season. In typical fashion, the big striker calmly took two paces back before delivering another perfectly placed dipping free kick towards the postage stamp corner which took Fahey two efforts to keep the ball out.

As the pace of the game stepped up, McManus hooked the ball across the face of the goal from a good position in the 29th minute, but creator Yardley should surely have been penalised for shoving Sinclair to the ground to prevent the Queen's defender from even making a challenge for the ball.

A minute later, Stevie Fallon tried his luck from long range and, although his shot was blocked, it fell kindly for David Menelaws whose low curler was saved well by Fahey.

At this stage, Queen's were slightly in the ascendancy as they tried to get back on level terms, but all the stuffing was knocked out of them as they fell behind to one of the goals of the season in the 36th minute. There seemed little danger when Queen's conceded a free kick some 35 yards from goal, but David Farrell hit a near unstoppable shot into the postage stamp corner despite the best efforts of Derek Scrimgour who had got his fingertips to the ball.

David Menelaws had a half chance to pull one back two minutes later, but his left foot shot from a wide position was weak and Fahey saved with ease.

Right on the stroke of half time, Stephen Canning who was on for the injured Stuart Kettlewell broke clear in midfield only to see his shot blocked before Danny Ferry hit the rebound well wide. A long kick from Fahey then bounced over the head of Richard Sinclair and Scrimgour had to very quick off his line to block McManus's attempted lob.

Only two minutes into the second half, Yardley nearly added a third when a straightforward back-header from a free kick slipped just past the far post with Scrimgour stranded in the middle of his goals.

Queen's were given some hope in the 57th minute when Allan Dunning sped up the right touchline at pace only to be brought to an abrupt halt by a late and clumsy challenge from 'Rover's captain Mercer who immediately knew that a second yellow card was heading his way.

The extra man's advantage quickly began to pay off as, for the first time in the game, Queen's were able to build play up from the back. Some neat one-touch play just after the hour mark created a good opening for Allan Dunning, but the wing-back dragged his shot well wide from the edge of the area. A minute later, David Menelaws well-timed run beat the offside trap but the striker's weak attempt at a cross to Jonny Whelan from much the same position that Frankie Carroll scored from at Gretna only served to highlight Menelaw's current lack of confidence.

Any thoughts that Queen's had of salvaging a draw were laid to rest in the 68th minute when they conceded a basic goal. A long ball was played up to Yardley who neatly diverted it into the path of Jordan Smith who had made a supporting run from midfield without being picked up and the substitute fairly wellied it with some glee past the utterly exposed Derek Scrimgour.

At this point you would have expected Queen's to show a little fight in an attempt to regain some lost pride but, if anything, 'Rovers became even more dangerous than before and Scrimgour had to dive full length to grasp a Yardley header.

Jonny Whelan glanced a header from a Stevie Fallon free kick narrowly past Fahey's left hand post in the 71st minute, but personnel parity was restored a minute later when Stevie Reilly stupidly brought down Smith by tugging the substitute's jersey and he followed Mercer into the stand for an early bath.

'Rovers now began to turn the screw and Queen's had Derek Scrimgour to thank for three good saves from McManus during a five minute spell. In between times, Jonny Whelan had a good effort of his own, his 25 yard shot dipping narrowly over the bar.

All Queen's frustration was summed up in the 80th minute when Ally Graham reacted to a lengthy tug on his jersey by using his elbow indiscriminately to try to remove it, but with obvious consequences as referee Tumilty noticed the arm movement at close range to quickly produce a red card.

Down to nine men, somehow Queen's began to enjoy their best spell of the afternoon and McAuley had a bad miss right in front of goal after a Jonny Whelan shot had been deflected kindly into his path. However, the afternoon wasn't a complete waste of time for Spiders' fans when Stephen Canning gave them something to cheer about by first timing a sweet left foot shot past Fahey's outstretched right hand from the edge of the area with two minutes remaining.

The scoreline nearly became even more flattering a minute later when Jonny Whelan hit a fine low shot from long range only to be denied by an equally fine save from Fahey.

Next Saturday's visit to Hampden by on-form Stirling Albion will now be a stern test for a beleaguered Queen's squad who are likely to be without the services of Quinn, McCallum, Agostini, Carroll, Kettlewell and Clark in addition to the automatically suspended Reilly and Graham. With these eight players missing, Kenny Brannigan will either have to be active on the signing front this week, or the likes of John Thomson and Louis Watters could all find themselves flung into first team action far earlier than the coach would have anticipated.

However, as has been shown by Canning, Clark, Kettlewell, and most recently by Conlin and Carcary, if they're good enough they're old enough!

ENTERTAINMENT VALUE : 3/5           STAR SPIDER : Derek Scrimgour (saved us from a hiding)

QUEEN’S PARK : Derek Scrimgour, Allan Dunning (Derek Carcary (TR) - 70), Danny Ferry, Richard Sinclair, Stephen Moffat, Stevie Fallon, Stuart Kettlewell (Stephen Canning - 37), Steven Reilly, Ally Graham, Jonny Whelan, David Menelaws (Steven McAuley - 70)

Subs (not used) : Brian McCue (GK), Paddy Gallagher

Scorer(s) : Canning (88 mins)

Booked : Reilly (8 - verbal retaliation & 72 - deliberate foul)          Straight Red Card : Graham (80 - retaliation)

ALBION ROVERS : Chris Fahey, Andrew Paterson, Jered Stirling (Kevin McBride - 85), David Farrell, John McCaig, Peter Cormack, Kevin McAllister (Jordan Smith - 60), Graeme McCaul, Mark Yardley, Paul McManus (Iain Diack - 81), Jim Mercer

Subs (not used) : Kevin Swain (GK), Andrew Selkirk

Scorer(s) : Yardley (23 mins), Farrell (36 mins), Smith (68 mins)

Booked : Mercer (8 - late tackle & 57 - late tackle)

REFEREE :  Mike Tumilty ** (* = inept, ** = poor, *** = mediocre, **** = good, ***** = excellent)