The second "proper" pre-season friendly was a trip to Stranraer to take on our newly promoted neighbours. As usual a reasonable few made the trip down the A75 and hardly any made the trip down Stranraer High Street.
Queens fielded what could be described as their strongest line-up with the exception of the missing Townsley, replaced by Lee Bailey, who played in behind the front two of Mallen and Adams. The only other changes from Saturdays team were Andy Aitken replacing Love in the back three and Mallen starting in place of Eadie.
The first half saw Queens displaying some of the best passing football I've ever seen from a Queens team, everybody looking comfortable on the ball and plenty of movement off the ball. Stranraer, as usual, adopted the "See who can kick the ball highest" tactic which has seen them well over the years, but surely will also see them straight back down next season…we can but hope!
It looked like being one of those days, with Queens enjoying the majority of possession but unable to score. Stranraer always looked capable when the ball eventually came out of the air in the vicinity of one of their strikers, but it was Queens who struck first, just before half-time. After playing a corner into the near post and receiving a roasting from George Rowe, who was at the back post, Steven Leslie delivered the next corner right on Geordies head, and he powered a header in from close range. The value of communication!
The second half saw a poor performance from Queens, who inexplicable abandoned the passing game which had looked so impressive in the first half, and started playing balls in behind the Stranraer defence. It didn't work, and led to a very frustrated looking Steve Mallen. Even the introduction of Nesovic early on didn't alter things considerably.
However, Queens did score twice in the second half. The first coming from Mallen, who reacted well and scored with a fine first time shot from just inside the box after good work on the right from Tom Smith,a trialist who came on as sub. The second a great header from Bailey, who pushed up front with Mallen after the introduction of Nesovic. A good cross from the left was met by Bailey on the penalty spot and he produced a powerful header into the far corner, leaving the keeper no chance. Stranraer grabbed a consolation just before the end, after a mistake by Leslie on the edge of his box, the Stranraer striker put a low shot past Mathieson into the corner. Lets hope Steven is getting all his mistakes out of his system now, before the season starts!
Throughout most of the game Queens were the better team, even in the second half when they looked poor compared to the first, and deserved the win. It all bodes well for the coming season as we have yet to really see what would be described as the first team proper. It remains to be seen, however, how the passing game will fare against the kick and rush and kick style of most second division teams, but more performances like the first half tonight and Queens will be there or there about come the end of the season.
AC
| Subs. 12. Aitken 14. Nesovic 15. Tom Smith (Trialist) |
Fixtures