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It may have been 51 years in the making, but the wait made
it all the more sweet, as Queens players and fans celebrated
their first Championship in most of our lifetimes. The players
certainly didn't upset the fans party plans this week as they
put on a performance, 2nd half particularly, worthy of champions.
The match was a bit of a side issue, but for those interested,
here's the details.
The team was pretty much along the familiar, expected lines,
the players who had taken us this far mainly given the chance
to finish of the job. One noticeable absentee from the squad
was almost ever present for the season, Gordon Connelly, I'll
have to check my pictures later (I took 64, I'll put the best
ones on tomorrow!) to see if he was at the game.
The first half was quiet with Queens, who's fans made up
about 90% of the crowd, turning it into a virtual home match,
always well in control. In the very 1st minute Joe McAlpine
guided a right wing cross back into the path of John O'Neill,
but the man who must surely be voted 2nd Division Player of
the Season saw his rather weak effort saved.
Queens next decent effort came in 14 minutes when McAlpine
again met a Gray cross, this time he went for goal himself,
the keeper tipped his shot into the air, but it still looked
like dropping in as he scrambled back to save it again, and
finally managed to get rid of the ball at the 3rd attempt.
Forfar had done nothing so far, and it came as a bit of a
surprise in the 17th minute when a long range effort from
them actually received some applause, I don't think anyone
had realized they were there up to that point!
A minute later Connell was put clean through following a
quick free kick, but blasted wildly over. In 28 minutes, the
ref allowed Weatherson away with what looked like a near assault
on the keeper, but the loose ball was scrambled clear. Queens
attacks were now coming thick and fast, and in 30 minutes
Weatherson headed a McAlpine cross just over.
That was just the warm up, in the 32nd minute it was party
on. Queens worked the ball nicely on the right of Forfar's
box, I'm not really sure who was involved (over excited!)
but one of them proceeded to float an inch perfect cross to
the back post where Weatherson had
sneaked round the back of the defence to loop a header over
the keeper and into the net. As Weatherson headed behind the
goal to celebrate, he seemed to think twice as he saw the
waiting police, who had been trying to get a whistle out of
the crowd (don't ask!), before he did his now customary dive
into the fans to celebrate. 1-0.
Within a minute, Queens almost made it two when McAlpine
again skinned his man, crossed to Lyle who's lob over the
keeper was only just too low, allowing the keeper to pull
of another save.
Forfar had their best spell of the match for the rest of
the half, but it came to nothing.
The 2nd half kicked off at 6 minutes to 4, very awkward for
those of us trying to keep time, but Queens were obviously
eager to get on with it. After only 2 minutes Weatherson show
boated a bit as he turned on the party tricks to bamboozle
their right back before sending in a low cross which caused
panic before being cleared. A minute later Lyle headed a McAlpine
cross straight at the keeper. In 4 minutes, McAlpine ran along
the touch line before crossing low to Gray but he couldn't
turn it in.
If it sounds to you like Queens had started the 2nd half
with a sense of purpose, you're right! And a minute later
the inevitable 2nd goal arrived. O'Neill, who put in a grafting
display in midfield today, even if his normal silky touch
was slightly off (not much through!), sent a ball down the
inside left channel, Weatherson
was onto it in a flash and calmly lobbed the advancing keeper
to make it 2-0. This time he headed back towards the centre
circle to celebrate.
Queens then paused slightly to catch breath, and we had to
wait all of 8 minutes for the next chance, McAlpine (Seem
to be mentioning him a lot today!) crossed from the left,
the ball skimmed of Weatherson's head, confusing the left
back at the back post who hit a volley own goal wards, only
to be saved by a superb stop by his keeper. Queens were spurred
on again though, and within a minute Lyle shot just wide after
being set up by Connell, then had an even better chance when
1 on 1 with the keeper, but the man who prevented us from
getting a barrow load today, did so again. 19 minutes into
the half, Gray headed wide after being set up by a now distinctly
show boating Weatherson, and the very same Elephant Man could
have completed his hat trick in 23 when he shot wide from
a Lyle cross.
Queens domination was emphasize by the fact that Scott made
his first (and last) save in the 26th minute, but Queens were
soon back on top as Gray blasted wide after a cross had somehow
eluded everyone else.
By now, the game was even more of a side issue as it had
been to start with. Queens made a couple of substitutions,
and one of them, O'Connor put
the icing on the cake when Weatherson sent him clear in the
40th minute, by blasting left footed high into the back of
the net. 3-0.
On another day, Weatherson's miss of the ball in front of
an open goal from Crawford's cross, followed by Connell blasting
wide as the ball ran to the back post, would have been terrible,
but in the last minute of the Championship winning game, it
just led to some good humoured barracking from the crowd,
who didn't give a damn by this time. We just wanted the final
whistle.
When it came, to be fair to Forfar, they didn't try to stop
us invading the pitch, and indeed played 'We Are the Champions'
for us as the team and management (John Connelly in a blue
wig) were carried off the pitch. The team swiftly reappeared
in the stand to collect their prizes and milk the moment,
and didn't they deserve it. 20 minutes later, as the fans
started to drift off, they reappeared at the front of the
stand to milk it again, and didn't they deserve it again.
Check in tomorrow for pictures of the celebrations.
Loons
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