QUEEN'S PARK 1 GRETNA 2

Queen's unbeaten run came to end at Hampden today when Gretna managed to defeat us for the first time in the fourth meeting between the sides. After going two down in the first half, a goal from Johnny Whelan ten minutes from time was not enough to rescue Queen's.

John Gemmell was restored to the starting eleven in place of Allan Dunning, while the suspended James Allan was replaced by John Gallagher.

Gretna started off the better team, but they weren't slow to put the boot in when Queen's got the ball, with four bad challenges in the first eight minutes penalised by referee Toner, with Cleeland being the main sinner and the unfortunate Danny Ferry receiving two hefty kicks early on.

It wasn't just Danny who attracted Cleeland's attentions though, and in nine minutes he had a tangle with Richard Sinclair after which he had a sly kick at Richie which Toner missed. Unfortunately the first goalmouth action took 17 minutes to arrive, and even more unfortunately it arrived at Tony Mitchell's goal. Tony came for a corner from the right and appeared to hold it safely, but let it slip from his grasp and Dobie didn't waste any time in stabbing the ball home from a couple of yards.        

Gretna were on top, but two headers from Dobie failed to add to Gretna's advantage, the first being held by Mitchell and the second put just wide of the post. Their second goal wasn't long in coming however, and in 25 minutes Richard Sinclair tackled Hore in the box and the Gretna striker went over Richard's outstretched leg. 

Referee Toner immediately pointed to the spot and Dobie stepped up to score his and his side's second goal of the match, while Richard picked up his first booking of the season for his troubles.

There was little to enthuse about in the rest of the half, and for the second week in a row the ref was forced off at half time through injury, this week Robertson replaced Toner, who had managed to pick up a leg injury during the course of the first half.

In an attempt to change things Allan Dunning and Chris Fisher replaced Gallagher and Gemmell. 

Things did liven up in the second half, and after 50 minutes Irons fouled Ross Clark just outside the box, and it was Ross himself who took the free kick but his effort was wide of the post. Five minutes later good play between Fisher and Dunning set Sinclair up with a chance just inside the box, but again this shot was wide of the target.

In 57 minutes Henney had the chance to finish the game, but when a cross from the right evaded everyone and came to him at the back post, he somehow managed to poke the ball wide of the goal.

The intervention of the linesman in 66 minutes saw Turner of Gretna and Willie Martin both receive a booking for an off the ball incident, then a couple minutes later Ross Clark joined him for kicking the ball off a Gretna player after a foul had been awarded against Johnny Whelan.    

In 69 minutes Dobie had a great chance to complete his hat-trick, but from 12 yards he sclaffed his shot wide of Mitchell's post. In a last throw of the dice Queen's put on David Menelaws in place of Willie Martin in 74 minutes.

Queen's looked to have a decent shout for a penalty in 78 minutes when Johnny Whelan was downed in the box, in an incident that was similar to that which led to the Gretna penalty. However, with a different referee in charge he saw nothing wrong with the challenge and waved play on.

A minute later Johnny was involved again as Queen's pulled a goal back. Stevie Moffat popped up on the left wing and fired over an inch perfect cross to the back post, where Johnny was waiting to bullet the ball home. 

With this the Gretna defence started panicking whenever the ball came anywhere near them, and David Menelaws almost took advantage two minutes after the goal. Allan Dunning won the ball on the edge of the box from a dozing defender and the ball broke to the unmarked (and suspiciously offside) Menelaws 15 yards out. With only the keeper to beat, his low shot to Mathieson's left was smothered.

Queen's tried their best to get a share of the spoils, but with Gretna's old hands Turner and Irons breaking up play at every opportunity, as well as persistently time wasting, Queen's failed to build up any momentum in the closing stages. Their cause wasn't helped by referee Robertson who added a paltry one minute of injury time when three or four would have been more appropriate.

These last couple of performances have been made more frustrating by the amount of coverage we have received from the media. While the team were on their good run, they received little attention, but with few games on the last two Saturdays the press have given us plenty of attention and unfortunately we haven't given them, or the fans of other clubs just looking for a game to watch, much to enthuse about.

Paul Martin and Davie Hunter must try and lift the players for Tuesday's cup replay at Cliftonhill, in what could be their last game in charge of the first team. A wee repeat of last month's league victory in Coatbridge would be a great way to sign off.

Teams: Queen's Park: Tony Mitchell, Richard Sinclair, Danny Ferry, Damiano Agostini, Stevie Moffat, Stevie Fallon, Willie Martin (David Menelaws 74m), Johnny Whelan, John Gemmell (Chris Fisher 45m), Ross Clark, John Gallagher (Allan Dunning 45m). Subs: Gordon Lappin, Chris Lamb (S/K)

Gretna: Mathieson, May, Skelton, Turner, McQuilter, Cleeland, Skinner, Irons, Dobie, Hore, Henney. Subs: Galloway, Fairbairn, Knox, McGuffie, Summergill (S/K)  

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