MacPherson praises side for match comeback

Gus MacPherson insists he never doubted his Spiders after they came from 2-0 down to earn their first point of the season.

The Queen’s Park boss was heading for a fourth straight defeat when Ryan Wallace netted for Stranraer inside 60 seconds and Grant Anderson’s eighth minute strike added to their misery.

But Anton Brady pulled one back just before the break and right at the death the Spiders salvaged a draw when Morgyn Neill turned the ball into his own net.

MacPherson said: “When you find yourself 2-0 down, we are delighted to take a point out of the game.

“The spirit at this club has never been in doubt. It’s been like that, dare I say it, for 150 years.

“After 10 minutes I was looking at it and thinking: ‘C’mon then, let’s see what you are all about.’

“Credit to them because they stuck at it and they got the equaliser.

“We thoroughly deserved to take something from the game, but it could have been a different story with the start we made.”

MacPherson was able to name the same squad as last week and The Blues, who narrowly lost to league leaders Ayr last week, had former Spider Paul Woods wearing their No. seven shirt. The Hampden pitch looked positively splendid as Stranraer got the game underway on a cloudy yet bright afternoon. And it was certainly a cloudy start for Queen’s – a goal down before one minute was recorded. The ball was worked down the right, cut inside, and Wallace’s speculative shot took a deflection off a Queen’s player and left keeper Willie Muir stranded as it hit his far right-hand post and bounced into the net. Certainly not the start Queen’s wanted, but there was still plenty of time to get back into the game, although it could have got worse in six minutes when Ryan Thomson headed a corner over the top from close in. But it did get worse, though, as Stranraer made it 2-0 in eight minutes. Adam Cummins was unlucky with his headed clearance at a long through ball, dropping it at Anderson’s feet 25 yards out, but there was nothing lucky about his right-foot rocket that blasted past Muir. Anderson then released Woods in on goal but his shot was blocked by Muir. Queen’s were working manfully to make attacking headway, and out of nothing they got back into the game in 38 minutes with a fine goal.

There looked little danger to Stranraer as Brady picked up a loose ball not far inside the Queen’s half on the left, but he motored forward before unleashing a right-foot shot from 25 yards in at the keeper’s left-hand post.

Queen’s came close to an equaliser on 53 minutes from a corner on the left, Sean Burns whipped in a cross that Bryan Wharton headed off the far post and Cameron Belford had to make a diving save from a shot on the rebound.

There was more woodwork agony for Queen’s in 72 minutes, when Ewan MacPherson’s header beat Belford but came back off a post.

Queen’s finally got some luck right on full-time however, as Burns won a tackle on the left byeline and his driven cross beat Belford, came off centre half Neill, and bounced into the net.