COWDENBEATH 0 QUEEN'S PARK 2
Queen's got their first points of the season on the board as a goal in each half was enough to see off a Cowdenbeath side that finished the game with ten men.
Given Queen's midweek performance against Shire, it was no surprise that Billy Stark sent out an unchanged side to take on Cowdenbeath, who you would have expected to be keen to impress new boss Mixu Paatelainen, taking charge of the home side for the first time.
Neither keeper was seriously tested in the opening 20 minutes, Queen's coming closest with a low shot from Tony Quinn that went just wide of Hay's right hand post, while Mauchlen of Cowdenbeath was only denied as he prepared to shoot from ten yards by a well timed interception by Sinclair.
Just as in midweek, Queen's took the lead just after the 20 minute mark, with John Weir scoring his first goal for the senior team. A Paul Harvey corner from the Queen's right was played to Tony Quinn at the near post. After controlling the ball with his chest, Tony flicked the ball over his head to Weir who was unmarked in the middle, and his header looped high over Hay and into the top right hand corner of his goal.
There were half hearted appeals for a penalty, mostly from the spectators, in 26 minutes when Gribben went down in the box under a Sinclair challenge, but referee Norris was happy to let play continue, then four minutes later Sinclair was involved again, this time doing well to deflect a Mauchlen shot wide for a corner.
At the other end Jonny Whelan got an overhead kick on target, but Ward was able to get his head to the shot and deflect it wide for a corner.
As the half drew to a close, DC made a couple of saves to keep Queen's in the lead, firstly doing well to hold Gribben's shot from eight yards low to his right, then he comfortably dealt with a curling shot from the same player in the final minute of the half.
Gribben had a great chance to equalise three minutes into the second half, but when he was played in with just Crawford to beat he fired his shot well wide of DC's right hand post.
Mark Ferry saw his shot saved by Hay after Weatherston had set him up, then Queen's had Shaun Molloy to thank when he headed Ward's header off the line following a cross from the Cowden left.
With 24 minutes left Queen's extended their lead from the penalty spot. David Weatherston attacked down the right and cut inside into the penalty area. Darren McGregor made a clumsy attempt a tackle from behind but only succeeded in bringing Weatherston down.
After the Cowden defender had been shown the yellow card, Stevie Reilly stepped up to take then penalty, and although Hay got a hand to the ball Reilly's shot was too powerful and it nestled in the back of the net.
From this point on the home side lost their shape and discipline, and less than two minutes after conceding the penalty, McGregor repeated his clumsy challenge from behind on Weatherston 30 yards out, and referee Norris wasted little time in producing a second yellow and a red card for McGregor, who was also sent off against Queen's last October at Central Park.
Jonny Whelan made way for Bryan Felvus in 72 minutes, then Darren Gribben was booked for kicking the ball away in a display of petulance before being swiftly substituted by Paatelainen, then a minute later a long ball from Stevie Reilly sent Weatherston through on goal, only for him to see Hay save his shot from just inside the box.
A quick throw out from Crawford set Queen's up for a swift counterattack following a Cowden corner, and Bryan Felvus raced down the left, but when his cross came over it was just out of reach of David Weatherston.
Ward was caught napping on the edge of his own box by Weatherston and Felvus with six minutes left, but Felvus saw his shot from 15 yards well saved by Hay, then a Weatherston cross from the left was headed wide by Felvus.
Baird of Cowdenbeath was booked for a blatant body check on Shaun Molloy with five minutes left, then the final chance of the game saw Ross Clark's low 20 yard shot held by Hay.
A good performance from Queen's, although it in the end it was fairly comfortable as the home side lost all their shape and discipline. However, earlier in the game the Queen's defence did well to keep Cowdenbeath out, with Richard Sinclair in particular making several vital tackles.
Pictures from the game are here.
Teams: Cowdenbeath: Hay, Guy, McBride, Ward, McGregor, Baird, Mauchlen, Fusco, Downs, Gribben, Grant. Subs: Buchanan, Hill, Millar, Allison, Carlin (S/K).
Queen's Park: David Crawford, Ross Clark, Shaun Molloy, Stevie Reilly, Richard Sinclair, Paul Harvey, John Weir, Tony Quinn, Jonny Whelan (Bryan Felvus 72m), David Weatherston, Mark Ferry. Subs: Damiano Agostini, Andy McGinty, Tony Livingston, Alex Cowie (S/K).