Stirling Albion 0: Queen of the South 0 – Match report
Written by author on September 27, 2010
Stirling Albion: Reidford, Brown, Corrigan, Buist, Forsyth, Gibson (Taggart 44), Robertson, Aitken, Heeking, Boris (Mullen 88), Smith.
Q.O.S: Hutton, Reid, Lilley, Harris, Conroy, Burns, McGuffie, Johnstone (Scally 33), Mclaren (Carmichael 71), Holmes, Weatherstone.
Queen of the south went into this game after a 3-0 midweek defeat against St.Johnstone. Only 6 players trained during the week with the rest on treatment table with various knocks. Queens still started game as favourite but in this division you never know what will happen.
The first half never got off to a flyer. Conroy did have a chance for queens after 10 min but his shot was blocked and went out for a corner. Lilley gets a head to the corner but it goes wide. Smith had a shot for Stirling shortly after but it went wide as well. On 25 min Weatherstone sent in a great cross for Conroy, who hit a shot from inside box but Reidford made a great save to keep the ball out. Queens then started to struggle a bit and let Stirling take over, the biggest chance they created was when Scott Robertson got a shot away, it hit one post, then the other but luckily for Queens it came back out instead of going in the net. Just after Scally replaced Robertson, hopefully not another injury for Queens. It finished goal less after the first half; not a great half but maybe the second half would be better.
Just after the restart Forsyth breaks clear but his cross is cleared by the Queens defence. Harris gets booked soon after for a hand ball. Queens started to put some pressure on Albion, Burns had a good chance but Reidford is alert to make a save. McLaren then had a shot which went just wide. Aitken got booked after bringing down McGuffie. Burns then gets another chance but Reidford is there again to deny him.
After 71 min Carmichael replaces McLaren to try and liven things up a bit. Robertson and Buist gets booked after fouls on Scally and Weatherstone respectively. Lilley and Harris have opportunities on free kicks but things are just not going Queen’s way today. Smith then has a chance for Stirling after a cross from Boris but his shot goes over.
In the last few minutes both teams could have won the game, Conroy shot over after Harris had done all the donkey work. Weatherstone then shots wide after being clear with keeper. Former Queens player Mullen then has the chance but a brilliant block from McGuffie saves the day.
The game finished goal less, a draw away from home is good but if Queens had played the way they can at their best we’d have won this. But with injuries and tired legs after Tuesday this is not a bad point in a very tight league. Next up is a home game against Dunfermline, a very difficult game against the league leaders, but with Queen’s good home form and a week to prepare and get players fit we should be able to compete well.
Stig Nordkil
