PETERHEAD 2 QUEEN'S PARK 2

Every so often there comes a moment that makes you realise that all the time and effort you put into following Queen's Park all over the country is worthwhile. At ten to five today came one of those moments. 

Queen's had fought back from two down with just nine minutes left against a Peterhead team that hadn't dropped a point all season except against Gretna. It may have taken a very soft penalty in injury time to get there, but the hardy band of fans who made the long journey north savoured the draw that felt as though it was a victory.

Even after last week's great display at Stranraer, Peterhead would still have been a tough place to go to and collect any points with a full strength team. However, with Richard Sinclair, Damiano Agostini and Ally Graham all injured, Billy Stark was forced into a major reshuffle, opting for a 4-5-1 formation. Trouten, Molloy, Rushford and Reilly were across the back, with the midfield five trying to get forward to support Frankie on his own up front.

On the bench we had three players who had yet to make their first team debut, defender Andy McGinty, winger Martin McLaughlin and left wing back Tony Livingston, as well as some old guy called Whelan who apparently had played for us before.

The early stages of the game were constantly interrupted by the sound of referee's Stephen Finnie's whistle as he blew for the slightest offence, presumably to try and impose his authority on the game, and Paul Harvey was warned after seven minutes following a couple of fouls.

Michie put an overhead kick wide in ten minutes for his side's first effort on target, while Queen's first shot on target was a free kick from Harvey from the edge of the box which took a deflection to carry it wide after 20 minutes. 

Craig Tully shot wide from the edge of the box after 26 minutes, then a minute later Peterhead took the lead. Graeme Stewart was given far too much time by the Queen's defence to chest down a cross and then to turn and shoot past Crawford.

A few minutes later a Ross Clark shot was deflected wide for a corner following a good run and cross from Kettlewell on the right, but most of the action was still around the Queen's goal at this stage. Crawford was glad to hold a long range effort from Bavidge at the second attempt, then Gavin Rushford made a great clearing header to cut out a cross from the right that Michie was waiting to head home.

Tully then crossed from the right to set up Bavidge, but from 12 yards he shot wide, then Paul Harvey was booked for persistent fouling after bringing down Michie on the edge of the box, although Raeside's shot hit off the Queen's wall and went wide for a corner.

As the half drew to a close, Queen's won a couple of corners and from the first of those Perry managed to deflect a header from Mark Ferry wide.

Queen's were much more in the game in the second half, but in the early stages there were a couple of chances for the home side to extend their lead. Three minutes into the half a Good cross from the left was put over the bar from eight yards by Michie, although he was stretching to reach the ball.

Four minutes later a bad pass across the back line by Brian Blair gave possession away to Bavidge, and Crawford was forced to race off his line and he brought down the Peterhead striker 20 yards out, but fortunately there were a couple of Queen's defenders covering him and it was only a yellow card that Crawford received.   

A Mark Ferry shot was deflected for a corner in 56 minutes, then on the hour mark Bavidge's shot from close range was saved by Crawford at the near post following a cross from the left.

In 66 minutes Alan Trouten made a great run down the right and was brought down by Perry, and the referee correctly adjudged the foul had taken place outside the box even though Trouten's momentum took him into the box. Perry was booked for his troubles, but Shaun Molloy put the free kick well over the bar.

Scott Robertson was then booked for persistent fouling after he brought down Mark Ferry in 67 minutes, then a minute later Stevie Reilly went on a great run from just inside the Peterhead half that only ended when his powerful shot took a deflection wide, then in 75 minutes came the ghost of Christmas past. 

All it took was a nod of the head from Billy Stark, and as "you know who" started to remove his tracksuit in preparation to come on, the chant of "Wheeeeeeeelan" rang round a Scottish football ground once again, music to my and to every Queen's fans ears.

Just after Whelan came on however, the game looked to be lost as Peterhead scored a second. There was a moments hesitation between Rushford and Crawford following a cross from the Peterhead right, and Craig Tully nipped in to head past the spud faced keeper. 

At this stage you can only assume that Peterhead relaxed as they thought the three points were tied up. However, just a minute later the deficit was back to a single goal. Jonny Whelan got his head to a cross and knocked the ball down to Frankie, and from close range he headed past Mathers to give Queen's a glimmer of hope.

Suddenly the home defence looked a bit dishevelled, and two minutes later Queen's should have been level. Stuart Kettelwell's cross from the right caused mayhem in the Peterhead defence, but the ball just wouldn't fall for Carroll, Whelan or Clark in the middle, but as Tully tried to clear the ball it fell to Alan Trouten eight yards out and he struck the ball perfectly with a crisp drive, only to see the ball go straight into Mather's arms, although the home keeper didn't know too much about it.

Alan Trouten then collected a yellow card for a foul on Bavidge, although somehow the home player escaped a yellow when he squared up to Trouten following his challenge.

The home side had a great chance to tie up the points in the final minute, but Michie saw his powerful shot from 15 yards tipped over the bar by Crawford, then just as the game looked to be heading for a narrow win for the home side, all hell broke loose in the first minute of injury time. 

Ross Clark and Mark Perry challenged for a loose ball on the left of the Peterhead penalty area. Both players were fully committed to the challenge, and as Perry won the tackle Clark's momentum left him on his backside. It therefore came as some surprise to both sets of players when referee Finnie blew his whistle and pointed to the spot.

After a couple of minutes delay while four Peterhead players surrounded the referee and let loose with a volley of abuse which astonishingly none of them were booked for, Ross Clark stepped up only to see Mathers push his kick round his left hand post, while Raeside showed his boorish side  by launching a close range tirade at Clark.

However, one by one the Peterhead players realised the standside linesman was standing at the junction of the penalty box and the bye-line with his flag raised. Their joy at the save very quickly turned to absolute fury, and as the lineman indicated that Mathers had come off his line and a retake should be awarded he had to retreat very quickly as several Peterhead players chased after him to express their opinion on the matter.

After another lengthy delay, Stevie Reilly grabbed the ball and kept his composure to fire the ball past Mathers to spark fantastic scenes on the terraces as Reilly raced over to the travelling fans, who gave full vent to their joy as almost the entire Queen's team celebrated an unlikely point in front of them.

Peterhead had a couple of corners in the remainder of injury time, but fortunately both came to nothing as Queen's held out for a point.

As the final whistle blew, everyone in the ground was going ballistic, Peterhead players, officials and fans were apoplectic with rage while everyone associated with Queen's were jumping around like all their Christmases had come at once. Peterhead will still go up with Gretna, but so far we're the only team to take something off both Peterhead and Gretna this season. 

Very few teams will take anything from Balmoor this season, so it's all credit to the Queen's players for not giving up and grabbing a point, especially when you consider we were missing several key players. It's perhaps a bit unfair to single out any players after a performance like this, but Frankie Carroll worked tirelessly up front on his own and fully deserved his goal that got us back into the game.

Keep the faith.

Teams: Peterhead; Mathers, Tully, Good, Raeside, Perry, Gibson, Robertson, Buchan, Michie, Bavidge, Stewart. Subs: Linn, Youngson, Campbell, McSkimming, Buchanan (S/K).  

Queen's Park: David Crawford, Alan Trouten, Shaun Molloy (Andy McGinty 90m), Stevie Reilly, Gavin Rushford, Paul Harvey, Stuart Kettlewell (Tony Livingston 89m), Ross Clark, Frankie Carroll, Brian Blair (Jonny Whelan 74m), Mark Ferry. Subs: Martin McLaughlin, Stevie McGovern (S/K). 

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