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QUEEN OF THE SOUTH 1 : 0 St JOHNSTONE

6th March 2007

MacDonald Rating: 9.00

Paton Rating: 7.21

Thomson Rating: 7.55

Lauchlan Rating: 7.31

McQuilken Rating: 7.27

S1 O'Neill Rating: 6.81

Adams Rating: 7.28

Scally Rating: 7.46

1 Murray Rating: 8.25

S3 Dobbie Rating: 7.81

S2 O'Connor Rating: 7.93

SUBSTITUTES
S1 - 67 Tosh Rating: 5.84	S2 - 76 Barrowman Rating: 5.62	S3 - 82 Weir	Henderson	Corr

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Name or IFC No.

MATCH SUMMARY

Ian McCall saw no reason to tamper with his line up tonight following their derby demolition of Gretna on Saturday, it was exactly the same including the bench. As it turned out the substitutions were pretty much exactly the same too. And as for the result well it was a much tougher match than Gretna had given us but in the end the three points came to Queens thanks to Steven Murray somehow bundling the ball in at the near post during a goalmouth scramble in the thirty third minute. St Johnstone were at their most competitive for the first twenty minutes of each half but chances were evenly distributed with Queens. The first chance fell to Peter McDonald but Jamie MacDonald started the game as he was destined to end it by making a great save to deny a Saints frontman. Sean O'Connor was to put in a fantastic shift tonight and started early by laying a fifth minute Stevie Murray free kick back into the path of Eric Paton who could only screw the effort past the post. At the other end Paul Sheerin was looking lively and attempted a snap shot from thirty yards that flew well over. Stephen Dobbie was having a good time tormenting his former team mates. Queens were becoming the more dominant side through the energy of the midfield pairing of Adams and Scally and the guile and creativity out wide of Murray and O'Neill. Adams almost managed to sneak a goal on eighteen minutes as he chased down Cuthbert in the Saints goal and almost came away with a goal. However Saints were soon up at the other end and Jason Scotland tested MacDonald with another effort that the young 'keeper proved to be more than up to. Queens though were getting on top in the match and a couple of efforts made and attempted by Stephen Dobbie had Cuthbert scrambling although you were beginning to feel that the ball might never go in. Then from a counter attack by Saints Stephen Dobbie picked out John O'Neill splitting the defence, O'Neill made it to the edge of the box before feeding it to the near post where Stevie Murray had one attempt blocked before the ball ended up in the back of the net and the diminutive winger opened his Queens scoring account.

Stevie Murray scores the goal - from David Gow on the terracing

Murray knocks it in

....and celebrates

Three minutes later and it should have been two as Neil Scally laid the ball out to the right for John O'Neill to head into the six yard box and onto Sean O'Connor's toe. With a stranded 'keeper it looked like a tap in for two, however Seans effort came back off the post and right into the arms of the prone Cuthbert. The half finished with a mini flurry form St Johnstone but nothing that gave Jamie MacDonald anything to worry about. St Johnstone made a change at half-time with Felippe Morais on for Paul Sheerin, the winger though didn't manage to get any change out of Jamie McQuilken. The half started with another great chance for Queens as Stephen Dobbie chased down Allan McManus and as McManus and Cuthbert deliberated Dobbie got a foot in to put the ball past Cuthbert although the 'keeper managed to get a big enough touch to push the ball wide. Stevie Murray had more space in the second half and showed some absolutely wonderful skill as he ran around the Saints defence before releasing a ball that found both O'Connor and Dobbie offside.

Murray flies forward again as O'Connor peels away

Ten minutes in though and it was almost an equaliser as one Saints forward beat MacDonald and struck the post, the ball squirmed along the goal line for another Saints forward to attempt to screw it back and in but again could only send it across the face of goal. Dobbie took some pressure off with an intelligent run through on goal, the defence managed to get back in time and subdue the Queens man. Stevie Tosh came on for John O'Neill with twenty minutes of the half gone and it was a poor Tosh ball in midfield that allowed St Johnstone to pressure Queens with two great chances that MacDonald did well to block. With time running out and some very tired strikers Ian McCall gave the front men some respite as he introduced Andy Barrowman for Sean O'Connor and five minutes later Graham Weir for Stephen Dobbie. Then that great save from Jamie MacDonald, somehow the young 'keeper got his hand to an almost point blank header from Saints substitute Derek Lilley. The action didn't finish there as twice in the last two minutes Queens had one on one opportunities. Firstly Andy Barrowman was fed a great ball that he turned onto and struck goalward, then Graham Weir ran in from the left and attempted a chip on the advanced Cuthbert but the 'keeper back peddled quick enough to collect the effort without too much effort. The final whistle was met by a standing ovation as the two teams left the pitch, a great game and a great win.