Bollan left scratching his head after more away-day misery

QUEEN’S PARK 1 COWDENBEATH 0

Gary Bollan left the National Stadium on Saturday night bemused that his side’s disappointing run of results away from home continued with this narrow defeat.

The much-changed Spiders grabbed the only goal on nine minutes when their new recruit from Partick Thistle, Craig Slater, side-footed home a David Galt cut-back.

That set the tone for a poor first period from the Blue Brazil who proceeded to dominate after the interval and boss Bollan said: “On the balance of play we deserved something but our first-half performance did us in.

“We did not reach the levels we can and we lost a really sloppy goal as well.”

Despite being second best in the opening period, the visitors could have gone in level when an injury-time effort from Gavin Morrison came back off a post, with Bollan admitting: “We would not have deserved it but I would have taken it.”

Cowdenbeath started the second half brightly and David Cox forced Willie Muir into a save. Salim Kouider-Aissa had an effort for the Spiders blocked on the line shortly afterwards.

That was the last Queen’s were seen as an attacking force and, as the Fifers started dominating, Robbie Buchanan shot into the side-netting and Cox clipped a shot over.

A powerful Fraser Mullen drive just cleared the home side’s bar and the fullback was also inches out with a fierce free-kick.

In the final seconds it looked like the score would be tied when the ball dropped to Michael Herd six yards out but he sent his effort straight at Muir.

Bollan said: “We had the chances to score two or three goals but overall how we are playing away from home is a head-scratcher for me.”