An inspired performance from leading scorer Stephen Dobbie was the catalyst for Queens as they claimed all three points against bottom side Brechin City, as the proclaimed `King of Queens` netted his third hat-trick of the season.
After last weekends disappointing cup defeat against Partick, Queens had the chance to `bounce back` straight away with a game against the league`s bottom side - without a league win on their travels all season -
Queens made just one change to the side that started that game as loan signing, Kyle Cameron replaced the suspended Shaun Rooney, and defender Darren Brownlie made his 100th start for the club since joining from Cowdenbeath. whilst recently departed Callum Tapping made a swift return to Palmerston as he lined up in midfield for the visitors.
Before kick-off a minutes silence was observed to mark the passing of two former doctors who were connected with the club.
A minutes silence for Dr Archie Downie and Dr Bill Balfour
Mascot and Captains
Queens made a very bright start and could so easily have scored in under 30 seconds. Kyle Cameron`s long ball down the left was seized upon by Stephen Dobbie and after reaching the bye-line his cut back picked out Ross Fergusson at the near post but he couldn`t keep his close range shot on target. That bright start got even brighter after only 7 minutes when Queens took the lead. A foul on Joe Thomson gave us a free kick that was only partially cleared, and when Fergusson gained possession just outside the area his intelligent pass inside to Stephen Dobbie allowed the striker to curl a stunning shot past `keeper Smith. The lead was doubled six minutes later and once again it was the Championship`s leading scorer who was involved. Queens gained possession in midfield and when the ball fell into the path of Stephen Dobbie he turned past two defenders before shooting toward goal, and although his shot was on target `keeper Smith should really have done better but inexplicably he allowed the ball to slip underneath him and roll into the net.
Dobbie strikes his first
Dobbie celebrates his first
Dobbie strikes number two
Dobbie celebrates his second
At that point it appeared as though the visitors were going to be in for a long afternoon, but they almost found a way back into the game when a cross from the right carried all the way through to the back post where the unmarked McLean got a touch but couldn`t keep his effort on target.
Queens continued to dominate most of the possession and could have added further goals before the break as both Dykes and Dobbie went close, with the latter seeing his low strike cleared just as it seemed as though it would creep in at the far post.
For much of the first half, Alan Martin was just a casual on-looker, but on 36 minutes he produced an outstanding point blank save to keep out a close range attempt from Graham, and as the visitors enjoyed their best spell of the half, an excellent run and cross from Morrison saw Layne glance a header into the side-netting. The pace of Layne was just starting to cause one or two problems for Queens, and the game`s first yellow card was shown to Callum Fordyce as he struggled to keep Layne from breaking clear.
The end of the half finished as it had started with Queens going close once again. Scott Mercer`s ball over the top of a static Brechin defence sent Dobbie away again but this time his shot across the face of goal flew wide of the far upright.
HALF-TIME QUEENS 2-0 BRECHIN CITY
There was an early opportunity for Dobbie to grab a third goal in the opening minutes of the second period as he tried to connect with a loose bouncing ball, but uncharacteristically, he wasn`t able to make anything of the opportunity. The game then developed into a rather scrappy affair with Queens just doing enough to keep ahead, and the visitors although having some good spells of possession, not really ever threatening to haul themselves back into the game.
Our first change saw Owen Bell replace Myles Beerman on 66 minutes, and minutes later Dobbie again had the chance to bag his hat-trick when after producing an excellent first touch to cut inside the last defender his shot lacked the power to test Smith. Once again, Alan Martin was called into the action to produce another good save, this time turning Morrison`s low shot away for a corner.
On loan Newcastle signing, Kyle Cameron came close to marking his first start with a goal when following a free-kick he was on the end of Thomson`s flicked header, but he was just off target with a low half volley that flew across goal.
Cameron comes close
Moments later Dobbie once again got in beyond the Brechin defence, and although he produced a sublime finish to claim what he and the majority of the 1211 supporters inside Palmerston though was his hat-trick goal, he had just strayed a fraction ahead of the last defender and was flagged for being offside. However that disappointment was short lived as on 73 minutes the hat-trick was completed. A neat flicked pass from Fergusson sent Stephen Dobbie clear through on goal and his good control and clever footwork enabled him to glide past two defenders before slotting the ball confidently past Smith.
Dobbie fires home his third
Hat trick celebration
That telling contribution from young Ross Fergusson was his last as he was replaced by the returning Derek Lyle, and once again Fergusson will have been delighted with his overall performance which again was quite impressive.
Scott Mercer and Brechin`s Spark had a bit of a coming together and were both booked by referee Dallas, and our final change saw Connor Murray replace skipper, John Rankin for the final 13 minutes.
With five minutes remaining the visitors grabbed a consolation goal as substitute Orsi reduced the arrears. Connor Murray might have added a fourth after Dobbie`s excellent pass set him up, but his hurried finish from the edge of the area was high and well wide of the target.
The obvious choice for man-of-the-match was of course Stephen Dobbie, and it was well deserved, but twice in the game at critical moments, Alan Martin produced two outstanding saves to keep the visitors from possibly gaining a way back into the game, but as it was Queens made it 3 wins from 3 against the bottom team who now are seemingly heading back down to League One.