ELGIN CITY 1 QUEEN’S PARK 0

There was more disappointment for the travelling Queen’s support tonight as an own goal after just ninety seconds was enough to see all three points stay in Elgin.

After the disappointing display against Montrose, Billy Stark made two changes to his starting line up. One was forced upon him with Ally Graham injured, while Mark Ferry was relegated to the bench, with Danny Ferry and Tony Quinn taking their place in the starting eleven.

Sinclair, Rushford and Molloy made up the three at the back, with Quinn sitting in front of them. Danny Ferry and Trouten played as wingbacks, with Kettlewell and Clark in central midfield, with Harvey ahead of them but just behind Carroll.

The game got off to the worst possible start for Queen’s when the home side took the lead after just ninety seconds. Elgin attacked down their right, and when the ball was squared ex-Spider Willie Martin saw his 15-yard shot saved by the feet of David Crawford. However, Crawford was left helpless as the ball cannoned off Shaun Molloy and into the net.

Queen’s struggled to get into the game in the early stages, but Elgin rarely threatened Crawford’s goal and gradually Queen’s came more into the game, Frankie Carroll chipping just wide of Renton’s left hand post from 20 yards.

Midway through the half, Martin Harty was fortunate that referee Alan Freeland was looking the other way when he appeared to aim an elbow at Danny Ferry. However, with chances few and far between for either side, it wasn’t until the last few minutes of the half that there was any more goalmouth action.

With three minutes to go to half time, a Paul Harvey corner from the right was played short to Danny Ferry on the edge of the box. Frankie Carroll met his cross, but he saw his header well saved by Renton diving to his right.

A minute later Alan Trouten was booked for a late foul on Nelson on the half way line, and the same player shot high and wide of Crawford’s goal in injury time.

Queen’s looked far more purposeful at the start of the second half, but three consecutive corners in the opening minutes of the half came to nothing.

However, 12 minutes into the half Queen’s should have equalised. A Paul Harvey shot from the edge of the box was parried by Renton, and the loose ball was collected by Frankie Carroll, and with Renton scrambling to close him down Frankie shot across the face of goal and wide, with only Dickson on the line to beat.

The home side were content to break up play and time waste wherever possible, but a quick succession of fouls in a matter of minutes on Ferry, Sinclair and Harvey twice brought little action from referee Freeland, although he eventually lost patience with 21 minutes left, booking Bremner for a late foul on Trouten.

With 15 minutes left Tony Livingston and Bryan Felvus replaced Ross Clark and Gavin Rushford, and the change almost paid off immediately when Felvus made a good run down the right, but when he crossed Livingston’s shot was blocked by Dickson.

Stuart Kettlewell volleyed wide a couple of minutes later, then with ten minutes remaining Jonny Whelan was thrown on up front, Tony Quinn making way.

The home side found a bit more space with Queen’s pushing for the equaliser, but the closest they came to extending their lead was when Pat Vigurs hit the roof of the net when he tried a speculative shot from the right wing.

However, just to prove that it wasn’t going to be Queen’s night, Jonny Whelan saw his header back across goal kicked off the line by Nelson following Harvey’s corner with a minute left.    

This defeat is especially disappointing as, yet again, Elgin did not look any great shakes, yet for the third time this season they have beaten us by a single goal.  

Although this was an improved performance from three days earlier, there was still something missing up front. While we played some nice passing football in midfield, the final ball wasn’t there. With Queen’s failing to find the net five times in the last six games and now slipping into the bottom half of the table, Billy Stark will need to find a solution quickly.  

Teams: Elgin; Renton, Cumming, Dempsie, McKenzie, Dickson, Bremner, Higgins, Nelson, Harty, Martin, Reid. Subs: Allison, Napier, P. Vigurs, I. Vigurs, Knight (S/K)

Queen’s Park; David Crawford, Alan Trouten, Shaun Molloy, Gavin Rushford (Tony Livingston 75m), Richard Sinclair, Paul Harvey, Stuart Kettlewell, Ross Clark (Bryan Felvus 75m), Danny Ferry, Frankie Carroll, Tony Quinn (Jonny Whelan 81m). Subs: Mark Ferry, Alex Cowie (S/K).    

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