Spiders leap off table’s last rung
MacPherson praises Queen’s on season’s first win
Gus MacPherson hailed his Spiders for clinching their first league win of the season to take them off the bottom of the table.
Ross Millen’s second half penalty separated the sides at Bayview and the Hampden Park gaffer paid tribute to his players for grinding out the win away from home.
He said: “We’ve said for the last three seasons now we’re punching way above our weight so that’s credit to the players and how they go and compete against good, recognised part-time teams.
“The next three weeks we play the full-time teams, so that’s a challenge to them.
“But they’re fit and they’ll raise their game to that challenge.”
Despite the additions of defender Jack Iredale and former Celtic youth striker Luke Donnelly, MacPherson found his reserves a bit depleted after the midweek Development League game against Clyde when injuries forced Queen’s to use all three subs before the first quarter of the match was over – and they finished the game with 10 men after another knock.
However, the team which took the field at Bayview had a familiar shape, with Willie Muir in goals and a back three of Ross Millen, Adam Cummins and Iredale. They were flanked by Michael Bailey and Sean Burns, with Gregor Fotheringham and David Green anchoring the midfield. That left Anton Brady and David Galt free to support the other debut-boy Donnelly. Like the weather, Queen’s started reasonably brightly, winning a fruitless early corner. But just like the weather, the game rapidly became a tad scrappy, with spectators scrambling for more cover after 10 minutes as a torrential shower lashed the plastic pitch.
The first half was short on quality but a piece of brilliance from Burns almost opened the scoring. The Queen’s left back spotted Fife keeper Mark Hurst off his line so tried his luck from 35 yards, the effort dropping on the roof of the net.
Chris Duggan, Greg Hurst and Paul Willis all had decent chances as the hosts pressed.
Millen showed his quick thinking and defensive qualities with a couple of timely interceptions as Queen’s struggled to get their passing game going, but they were determined to go in at the break with their goal unscathed.
And the visitors managed to take the lead with Millen finding the net from the penalty spot after Hurst had sliced down Galt following a short Mark Docherty pass back after 56 minutes.
It was important to settle on the lead but Queen’s immediately gifted the Fifers the chance to level and were relieved to see Nathan Flanagan shoot over from a good position.
Despite being second best in the possession stakes, the Spiders still posed a threat on the break. Orr led a charge down the right but Galt failed to convert his cross.
A Fifers corner kick in added time left Queen’s fans watching through their fingers as it was whipped across goal but went just wide for a goal kick before the referee blew for full-time.
Home boss and Cambuslang man Darren Young said: “We probably created enough chances to win two games. But a stupid pass back has cost us the game.”