One of the poorest games of this season ended the way it started as neither Queens or visitors Dunfermline could find the net in a contest that really did belong in the `bore draw` category. With both teams hovering on the fringes of the play-offs, this was a decent opportunity for either side to make a forward push, and for Queens the chance to improve on just four home league victories this season, but scoring chances were limited and for the second time this season at Palmerston, the game ended with no goals.
Captains and Mascots
Following the draw with Morton last weekend, Queens made two changes to the team that started that game with Shaun Rooney, and Connor Murray, coming in to replace Scott Mercer, and Ross Fergusson.
Once again Queens attacked the Portland Drive end in the first half and in the opening stages, Murray did well to get in behind the visiting defence before his attempt at pulling the ball back was blocked. The away team countered with a quick break that was well defended by Shaun Rooney at the expense of a corner, and from the set-piece Jack Leighfield produced a decent stop to keep out a shot from McManus.
A low drive from distance from Dom Thomas was easily collected by Lee Robinson, whilst at the other end Craigen started, and then finished a move by shooting wildly off target. The game was littered with far too many long balls as it seemed both teams were more than happy to use that tactic, and as such there was little in the way of any action in the respective penalty boxes. Midway through the half Shaun Rooney appeared to take a knock to his right ankle and after having treatment and trying to continue, on 28 minutes it was clear that he could not shake off the injury and was replaced by Scott Mercer.
The away team were just starting to enjoy more possession and with 10 minutes of the half left they won a series of corners which culminated in Clark going really close to opening the scoring when he was on the end of Craigen`s delivery to the back post, but the former Queens striker was unable to do what he did so regularly for Queens.
Possibly our best - and only - chance of a mediocre first half fell to Stephen Dobbie when he got the break of the ball just inside the Dunfermline penalty area, but on this occasion his attempt failed to trouble Robinson. Right on half time a through ball split the Queens defence and it needed an excellent piece of defending by Darren Brownlie to prevent McManus from getting a shot away, and from the following corner M`voto was unable to keep his header on target.
The half closed with Dunfermline looking threatening from set-pieces, and Queens simply looking for anything in a half devoid of any real quality.
HALF-TIME QUEENS 0-0 DUNFERMLINE
The second period saw a marked improvement from Queens and in the opening few minutes we created a couple of decent chances. Murray had a shot that was blocked into the path of Lyndon Dykes, and he saw his effort pushed away for a corner. The set-piece was taken short to Dobbie and his first time effort may just have been creeping in at the near post but a deflection took it wide for another corner. This time the cross into the box was cleared again for another corner, and from the next set-piece Murray got underneath the ball and could only head over the bar. Dom Thomas had switched from right to left a few times in the first half, and after moving in from the left he hit a low drive wide of the far post.
There was a clash of heads between John Rankin, and Kyle Jacobs as they both went for the same ball, and with Rankin coming off second best and with blood pouring from his wound, he had to leave the game for treatment. The Queens captain did return to the fray, and as both sides continued to frustrate their own supporters with spells of very ordinary football, it seemed certain that neither side was capable of doing enough to win the game.
Queens second change came with a quarter of the game left when Nikolay Todorov replaced Connor Murray and although the on-loan Hearts player tried hard to establish himself in the game, it was difficult for him although to be fair he held the ball up well on several occasions but the support around him was very often severely lacking. Jack Leighfield had to look sharp when Clark`s dipping shot might have crept in under the bar, but the young `keeper watched it all the way and tipped the effort over the bar, and luck was on his side from the resultant corner when he misjudged the flight of the ball under pressure, but Higginbotham could not capitalise.
Leighfield makes a great stop
Our final change saw Rankin give way to Myles Beerman with 14 minutes to go and moments later our best chance of the half saw Robinson deny Dobbie from the edge of the box. Kyle Jacobs was extremely fortunate not to be red carded as his rugby style challenge on McManus sent the Dunfermline striker crashing to the ground and thankfully referee Robertson was lenient enough to only produce a yellow card. Luck was with us again from the resulting free-kick when Craigen`s shot was deflected and Leighfield - diving to his left - was able to thrust out a leg to keep the ball out with Clark unable to profit from the rebound.
A quality rugby tackle from Jacobs
Talbot got away with a yellow moments later too...
..sending Todorov flying
The second half was just marginally better than the first, although there wasn`t much in it as the two sides who started the game level on points struggled to find a way to score.
Jordan Marshall was named man-of-the-match as for the second time this season - and the third in successive games against Dunfermline at Palmerston - we were not able to find the net.