The goals and the points were shared in this afternoon`s Championship clash as visitors Morton equalised and then had all the luck on their side in a highly charged second half that produced one of the most controversial moments that Palmerston has scene in recent times. Ahead at the break, Queens were pushed back at the start of the second period which saw Morton draw level, and after working their way back into the game, the home side thought they had claimed all three points when a long range effort appeared to cross the line, but much to the dismay of the home support in the crowd of 1489, no goal was given and so the game ended all square.
Mascots today
Minutes silence for former youth player Ross Cook
Following defeat at St.Mirren last time out, manager, Gary Naysmith indicated that there would be changes made for this game, and true to his word, a combination of injuries and personnel choices saw the Queens boss make four changes. Out went, Shaun Rooney, Kyle Cameron, Myles Beerman, and Alan Martin, with their places being taken by Jack Leighfield, Dom Thomas, and the return from injury of both Kyle Jacobs and Jordan Marshall. There was also a change in formation as a 4-4-2 line-up was preferred.
Queens made a decent start and two corners in quick succession showed our intent, but neither caused a problem for the visiting defence. At the other end we came dangerously close to going behind when Darren Brownlie`s foul on Ross presented Gary Harkins with a shooting opportunity some 25-yards from goal but his effort crashed against the bar with Jack Leighfield well beaten.
Queens replied with a cross shot from Dom Thomas that fizzed just wide of the far post, and following the award of a free-kick on the left, Brownlie met Stephen Dobbie`s delivery but could only glance his header into the side netting.
Dom Thomas was having a bright opening spell and after linking up well with Dobbie a half chance presented itself to Ross Fergusson, but the youngster mis-hit his shot which trundled weakly past the far post. The best move of the opening period from a Queens point of view came midway through the half. Dobbie and Dykes exchanged passes down the left to cut through the Morton defence and when Dobbie`s final pass back inside to Dykes gave the big Australian - without a goal since October - the chance to break the deadlock, he was unable to keep his effort on target. Minutes later the pair combined well again and this time there was to be an end product. A neat one-two allowed Stephen Dobbie to get beyond the Morton defence and slip the ball past the advancing `keeper to give Queens the lead they just about merited at that point.
Dobbie slips it home
Goal celebration from Dobbie
Morton`s build up play was all being centred around Harkins, but their play in the final third of the pitch didn`t really compliment their approach play, and as such Jack Leighfield and the defence in front of him were barely troubled with the visitors only real chance coming from their earlier opportunity from that Harkins free-kick. The half ended with Lyndon Dykes picking up a yellow card for what was deemed to be persistent fouling, and he could have no real complaints about the decision as seconds earlier he was fortunate not to be cautioned following a late challenge on Doyle.
HALF-TIME QUEENS 1-0 MORTON
The visitors made a bright start to the second half and right from the restart, Queens were pushed back and forced to do more defending than they had done in the opening half. Harkins was continuing to control and dictate from midfield, and it came as no real surprise to see him involved in the play that led to Morton grabbing an equaliser 10 minutes into the half. After taking possession the experienced midfielder waltzed past the Queens defence before rolling a pinpoint pass into the path of Gary Oliver, and the former Queens striker produced a confident finish to place the ball under the dive of Jack Leighfield.
Oliver fires home the equaliser
On the hour mark we made our first change when Connor Murray replaced Ross Fergusson, and Dykes moved up front to partner Dobbie in attack. The returning Kyle Jacobs added a bit more steel to the midfield and covered a lot of ground during his first 90 minutes since his injury, and with Dom Thomas proving to be a valuable outlet on the right Queens certainly looked capable of finding a winner. A deflected shot from Dobbie spun over the `keeper but unfortunately over the bar as well, and minutes later the Champoinship`s top scorer had a really good chance when John Rankin`s ball over the top found him in space, unfortunately he dragged what was by his standards a decent opportunity well wide of the target.
Just a minute later with Queens well on top, Dobbie went close again when this time after cutting into the box from the left he tried to go round the `keeper but this time Gaston got the better of him and blocked the striker`s effort. Morton replied with a quick breakaway that ended with Callum Fordyce stooping low to head clear a shot from substitute Tiffoney.
If Dobbie and the Queens fans were feeling frustrated, that emotion was certainly increased minutes later when his audacious attempt from all of 60 yards out appeared to have crossed the line. Having spotted that the `keeper had strayed from his goal, Dobbie looked up and hit a first time effort towards goal and as the `keeper tried to keep the ball out he fell into the net and it seemed as though he had not been able to prevent the shot from going in. However, with most of the Queens players and fans claiming what would have been a truly wonderful goal, the nearside assistant signalled to say that the ball had not crossed the line. As play continued and with several Queens players still celebrating,
Morton launched a blistering attack which ended with Leighfield producing a smart save to keep out a fine drive from Russell. With the majority of the crowd still fuming at the decision, and with the temperature rising Dykes broke through the Morton defence down the right before seeing his shot across goal tipped away for a corner as Queens tried to correct what they thought was clearly an injustice.On- loan signing Nikolay Todorov replaced skipper John Rankin for the closing 7 minutes, but it was fellow substitute Connor Murray who nearly won the game late on. After collecting the ball wide on the left, Murray cut inside, looked up and curled a wonderful strike towards the top corner, but with Gaston beaten, the ball thudded against the far upright and away to safety as far as Morton were concerned.
Saved on the line - click on the image to watch the goal line cam
Over the piece Queens will be disappointed not to have won, and they certainly had the better of the chances to claim all three points, however it was not to be, and the point keeps us just out of the play-off places with a third of the season still left to play.