Oliver’s second half strike earns Queens a point
Queen of the South manager Allan Johnston praised his players for their second-half comeback after trailing by an early goal and with Dunfermline dictating most of the play.
He said: “I thought we were dominant in the second half and disappointed we only got a draw and I’m happy with the performance and the fitness levels.
“I thought the boys worked hard for each other but we are still looking to strengthen the squad.”
Queens, in fact, had provided the first threat and it was new player Faissal El Bakhtaoui – against his old club – who set up the move as he put Connor Murray clear. But keeper Ryan Scully saved the parting shot at the second attempt.
But eight minutes in, the Pars struck as Kyle Turner fasted onto a loose ball 20 yards out and shook off two challenges before firing into the corner of the net.
This shook the Dumfries outfit and for a spell they were pinned back, looking nervous and uncertain as the Pars tried to build on their advantage.
Andy Ryan should have put his side further ahead on the half hour but scuffed his shot from close in and it went just outside the post.
It was only toward the break that Queens offered anything up front but it was easily handled by the Pars’ defenders until right on the whistle when a free kick from Michael Paton was headed against the bar by Darren Brownlie.
Queens began to pose more of a threat after the break and had the Dunfermline defenders struggling for the first time with Holt testing the keeper with a header.
And they pulled level in 62 minutes when Gary Oliver picked up a ball near the byline and turned it past the keeper.
The game, which had seemed tied up by the Pars, was suddenly wide open with both teams pushing forward for a decider. And it was only a tremendous save by keeper Scully that prevented a powerful header from Brownlie hitting the net.
It was end-to-end stuff as both teams went into the final minutes searching for the vital goal.
But play was held up for 15 minutes at the end when Dunfermline’s Euan Murray was stretchered off after crashing down on his neck following a header.
Manager Stephen Crawford confirmed that it was a neck injury, but said that he had managed to walk into the dressing room after getting off the stretched and was being medically checked.
On the result he said: “We created chances in the first half and took the lead but I didn’t think we started well in the second and I was disappointed at losing the goal.”