2001/02 A Championship Season Reviewed

A serialised account of our championship winning season by our man who has been at almost every match home and away - Ewan Lithgow

Part Two - August

On the eve of the season another piece of the jigsaw was put in place when Gordon Connelly signed from Carlisle United and he went straight into the squad for the first competitive match. In fact it was the first competitive match ever at Hamilton's new Ballast Stadium and the division's best crowd of the whole season (3,192), barring the final week, was there to see it. Unfortunately, that didn't include me as a friend's wedding in Perth kept me from attending. However, by all accounts Queens were very fortunate to come away with a point earned in a 1-1 draw. Peter Weatherson headed us into a first half lead past "Trialist" goalkeeper Andy Goram but an error from Campbell in goal led to a second half equaliser from Gaughan.

Tuesday the 7th saw a return trip to Airdrie in the Challenge Cup 1st Round. We had been there the previous season and given the "Spaniards" a run for their money before going down in extra-time. The Lanarkshire club have hardly had their troubles to seek since then but at this time they were in fine form and would eventually go on to retain the Cup. On the night they were far too strong for a Queens side showing a number of changes and comfortably won 2-0.

The first home league match followed and Forfar came calling. It was another relatively poor showing from Queens as the visitors soaked up the pressure and struck twice on the break through Moffat and Tosh. The home side only really livened up when O'Neill came off the bench to score with virtually his first touch but the equaliser never came. Around this time, relations between the manager and some of the supporters hit a low

point after his programme notes condemned the "whingers" for criticising the way the team had played at Hamilton on the Unofficial Website.

A trip to Morton followed and, in an effort to solve the striking problem that had appeared, the services of Craig Feroz were secured on loan from Livingston on the eve of the match. Morton had started the season relatively well and were among the early pacesetters so a hard match was expected and so it proved. Twice John O'Neill struck from the penalty spot after fouls on Hawke and Patterson, the second coming with just four minutes to go. However, Morton twice fought back, John Gibson scoring after an error by Colin Scott and Allan Reid driving in a sensational long-range equaliser with two minutes left. John O'Neill was so frustrated at the loss of two points that he kicked the ball out of the ground and was sent off for his show of dissent.

By now everybody was getting desperate for a win and the League leaders from Clydebank came calling. The "Bankies" had got off to a superb start and had won all three fixtures before their visit to Palmerston. To be honest, it was never a classic game but the defence stood solid and, with two minutes remaining, Weatherson cleverly set up Paddy Atkinson to rifle in the winner from just inside the box.

Ewan Lithgow

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