CH’SHIP PLAY-OFF FINAL Murray is the hero as Spiders keep climbing
AMBITIOUS Queen’s Park will take their place in the Championship next season after Simon Murray’s penalty earned them a dramatic extra-time victory over Airdrieonians in the play-off final. Delighted coach John Potter, who will be replaced by Owen Coyle in the summer, put their success down to coming to the boil at the right time. ‘We’ve had a few hiccups this season but the most important thing about the play-offs is hitting form when it matters,’ said Potter after Queen’s won successive promotions in their second full season since ditching their amateur status. ‘We had players back from injury and that gave us a very good squad.’ Tied at 1-1 from the first leg, Ian Murray’s Diamonds were first to
strike when Rhys McCabe curled home a superb free-kick. The Spiders levelled four minutes later when Luca Connell stabbed the ball into the path of Connor Smith, whose shot found the net via a couple of deflections. Max Currie’s fingertips then turned a Luca Connell shot wide, with the Airdrie No 1 keeping out a Louis Longridge effort ten minutes later. Dylan Easton tumbled in the Queen’s Park box but referee Steven McLean wasn’t interested and the visitors raced to the other end where Connell was inches wide with a curling shot. Calum Gallagher looked set to fire Airdrie ahead midway through the second half but Michael Doyle’s expert tackle saved his side. In stoppage time, Adam Frizzell’s curling half-volley looked to have won promotion for Airdrie only for the ball to scrape the outside of the post. The winner came in the second period of extra time when Murray was flattened by Easton just as he was poised to pull the trigger. Referee McLean pointed to the spot before Murray himself easily despatched the penalty. Airdrie boss Ian Murray said: ‘It is very raw but we wish Queen’s Park well. There had to be a loser and unfortunately it was us. We have lost poor goals in both play-off games and you can’t do that as these games are so tight.’