Queen’s tap into their rage to win
Anger was the key for Spiders victory
Gus MacPherson praised his side for taking their frustration out on East Fife to seal an important three points.
The Queen’s Park boss revealed his players went in at the break angry at having conceded an equaliser on the stroke of half-time.
But they turned it around in the second 45 to see off the Fifers.
MacPherson said: “Half- time was as animated as I’ve seen the players - they were angry.
“So we told them to take that out on to the park in the second half and make sure there was a reaction.
“We got the goal and had something to defend.”
MacPherson did not have to do much tinkering with the recent formula and the only change was the return of Dario Zanatta to the starting 11, at the expense of Aiden Malone.
It was a team that had a settled look to it, but it was the home side which settled better. They enjoyed the bulk of the opening exchanges, with Jamie Insall looking a threat up front.
However, it is was the visitors who took the lead when Adam Cummins was the first to meet a Jamie Mckernon corner and beat Mark Hurst.
The goal gave the Spiders a big lift and they came into their own with Zanatta leading the line well, and getting admirable support from Anton Brady and Paul Woods. But for all their possession, they didn’t test Hurst in the home goal often enough, and the Fifers did look menacing on the break.
East Fife regrouped and were level before the break when Mark Lamont’s shot was turned past Willie Muir by Insall.
The Spiders were out early for the second period and quickly restored their lead from the penalty spot after Kyle Wilkie was judged to have tugged Sean Burns’ shirt.
Ross Millen stepped up and clipped his effort straight down the middle.
The home side tried to get themselves back into the game for a second time and Muir was at his best to beat away a Kevin Smith drive late on.
MacPherson commented: “To win any game of football at this level, you must be doing something right.
“There has been a fantastic reaction since we played Stenhousemuir with a win at East Fife and Stranraer and a draw with Peterhead.”
The Spiders’ next match will now take place on Tuesday due to the scheduling of the Betfred Cup final this weekend.
Montrose are the visitors to Hampden Park but go into the match having binned manager Paul Hegarty.
The Gable Endies, who drew with League Two leaders Forfar on Saturday, will be a stern test according to MacPherson.
“They’ve changed their manager but they got a good result against Forfar,” he said. “John Holt made a couple of changes and they’ve done well but all we can do is focus on ourselves.”