Watt a goal – late strike stuns Stenny
Sub Josh bags dramatic late winner
A late strike from Josh Watt earned Queen’s Park their first points and victory of the season.
Stephen Stirling gave Stenhousemuir a first-half lead but a Darren Miller spot-kick after the break and Watt’s late effort secured the points for the Spiders.
After the match, Hampden Park boss Gus MacPherson said: “I’m delighted. We competed better and thoroughly merited the win on our second-half performance.
“Sometimes you’ve got to grind out the results at this level.”
Queen’s would have taken some confidence from the performance against Airdrieonians last weekend but they were dealt a blow when injury ruled striker Aiden Malone out of Saturday’s contest.
In his absence, Gus MacPherson gave David Galt the number nine shirt and shuffled his pack by starting Sean Burns and Liam Brown in place of Malone and Conor McVey.
To make matters even more tricky, former Spider Vinnie Berry and partner Stephen Stirling gained the upper hand in the middle of the park, leaving Queen’s Liam Brown, Paul Woods, Darren Miller and Anton Brady struggling to offer Galt the support he needed.
The home side took the lead in the 33rd minute. Stirling caught his shot sweetly and the long-range effort left Murphy with no chance.
Neither side changed personnel at the break.
Queen’s failed to gain any serious control of proceedings, while the home side never looked seriously menacing when they had possession. But as the halfway point in the second period arrived the visitors were starting to pose a goal threat.
A Miller corner was headed on to the bar by McGeever before Cummins set up Gibson with a superb cross but Scott couldn’t beat McCabe with his header.
With 18 minutes to go, however, everything changed. Another Miller free-kick into the box led to McGeever being brought down. Miller took the kick himself and beat McCabe with ease to tie things up at 1-1.
No sooner had the ball hit the net than skipper Burns was replaced with winger Josh Watt, a move that was to pay handsome dividends. Watt had a great shot saved after 81 minutes and Miller just couldn’t adjust his feet quickly enough to steer the rebound on target.
But in the final minute Galt found room on the right and fired a cross over towards the back post. Watt came rushing in and volleyed goalwards. It looked as if the young sub had overdone his effort to keep the ball down but it hit the deck and looped into the air over keeper McCabe and into the far corner of the net.
Queen’s Park were due to play Partick Thistle Under- 20s in the Irn Bru Cup on Tuesday before a trip to Glebe Park to face Brechin City this weekend.