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 Eight - March
March was set to be a critical month for the club with seven fixtures lined up, most of them difficult ones on paper. It began with a trip to face the leaders Clydebank. On the same ground back in November, Queens had a nightmare and gave the points away but this would be very different. In a marvellously disciplined performance, the defence rarely allowed the "Bankies" a sight of goal and Weatherson struck a fine goal before half time following a McAlpine free kick. With Alloa drawing, we returned to the top of the table for the first time since November.


Midweek saw a trip to Hamilton and a game played in similar blustery conditions to the Morton one a week earlier. This time however, the luck was not with us and we stumbled to a 3-1 defeat. Derek Lyle gave us the lead after a mistake by McFarlane in the "Accies" goal (not the last time he would benefit us this season) but Callaghan and McNiven had "Accies" in front before the break following central defensive errors. In the second half, as Queens committed forward looking for an equaliser, Hamilton broke at pace and Callaghan scored his second to confirm the destination of the points. Manager Connolly incurred more criticism for playing Tom Poston, a trialist from Hednesford, in place of Gordon Connelly in this match.

The defeat at Hamilton meant the double header against Stranraer became even more important than it would otherwise have been. Another big crowd of 2,094 turned out for the match and saw a fine game. Stranraer can in fact consider themselves unlucky to have got nothing from this game. They played some nice stuff and grabbed the lead early in the second half courtesy, needless to say, of Martin Glancy. Two minutes later they should have doubled the advantage but Harty struck the bar
when it seemed easier to score. The miss was doubly delightful as Queens broke straight up the park and, after both Weatherson and Lyle had missed good chances, Joe McAlpine headed in a Connelly cross for an equaliser. That was all the incentive Queens needed and, after an error by McGeown, McAlpine doubled his tally from six yards before O'Neill scored a third to kill our neighbours off. With Alloa and Clydebank losing to the bottom two, we returned to the top yet again.


The "Cleyholers" must have fancied their chances of revenge on Tuesday but found a Queens side in stunning form. The "Doonhamers" completely dominated the first half, and took the lead courtesy of an O'Neill header, but somehow found themselves level thanks to Wingate's equaliser on 42 minutes. However, there seemed to be a genuine confidence in the side that night and that man McAlpine, who seems to like playing Stranraer, struck a glorious winner from outside the box just after the hour mark. The strike took a slight deflection but that shouldn't detract from its quality. Queens fans made up well over half of the crowd and the players were visibly encouraged by the support they received on the night, a fact later acknowledged by both Connolly and Andy Aitken. For me, this was the night that turned the season. Having had a bit of a let off on the Saturday, the team came out and proved their determination to win the League. It was the night that we, the fans, realised we finally had a team good enough to do it and the night that the team realised just how much support was behind them. With our two biggest rivals, Clydebank and Alloa, drawing with one another, we not only retained top spot for the first time this season, but we extended the lead to three points (though Alloa, four points behind in third, had a game in hand).


Before the end of the week, Queens controversially captured the signature of Sean O'Connor from Dundee United for what manager Connolly would later describe as a nominal fee. Big Sean had been on loan to Morton all season and had impressed in the games against us but, after United recalled him due to an injury crisis, he signed for us a week later. Morton, were far from impressed and complained to the League. It's hard not to have some sympathy for them as their best player was snatched away against their wishes but ultimately, if you live by the sword you may also die by it. It's the price you pay for bringing players in on loan. We lost Feroz early in the season under similar circumstances.


Saturday's match against Cowdenbeath saw another 2,000 plus crowd show up and O'Connor made his debut as a straight replacement for Lyle, who had picked up a knock at Stranraer. Two goals from the revitalised Weatherson were enough to clinch the points despite a late consolation from Brown. John O'Neill suffered a hamstring tweak in the act of setting up the opening goal and was forced to miss the next two matches. With Alloa and Clydebank drawing with one another for the second time in a week, the lead was extended again.


The following week saw a visit to Stenhousemuir and another stunning performance. Unfortunately for me (or perhaps fortunately, depending on how you look at it) this was the other game I missed this season as I was sent to Monaco on business for ten days. However, by all accounts Queens, and Lyle in particular, were in great form. The loan star struck the first after just six minutes and, after Davidson had scored a second, Lyle scored again just before the break. Stenhousemuir had been briefly level early on but were no match for us. Weatherson replaced O'Connor at half time and added a fourth to complete the scoring.


As transfer deadline day approached, Connolly flirted with signing Stuart Callaghan from Hamilton, who had scored twice against us a few weeks earlier but the deal was not concluded. In the end, the only deadline day signing was Stuart Dawson, a goalkeeper most recently of Spennymoor, as cover for Colin Scott.


The final match of the month saw Berwick come to Palmerston and, for the first time all season, a goalless game ensued. Points of note in relation to the match were an immediate debut for Dawson after Colin Scott injured a hamstring during the first half and the sending off of Derek Anderson for a kick at Gary Wood long after the ball had gone. The game was far more notable for the first appearance of a streaker in Palmerston history. The redhead livened up proceedings in the second half, bursting from the corner of the East Stand and leaving stewards trailing as she ran to the Terregles Street end of the ground. She was eventually arrested and led away through the stand to a standing ovation from the crowd of 2,758!


The month ended with Queens solidly ensconced in top spot, five points clear of Alloa, with 54 points from 30 games.

Ewan Lithgow
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