Another home game, and frustratingly for the Queens support, another home game without a win as Inverness Caley Thistle became the latest team to take points away from Palmerston. After a very flat first half performance, Queens did raise their game in the second half but they never really created a sustained amount of pressure that troubled the visitors, and although they did have a few half chances, none were what you would class as being in the clear cut category.
After Tuesday`s draw with Falkirk, Queens made two changes to their starting line-up, and there was a welcome return for Stephen Dobbie who led the attack in place of Derek Lyle, and Dan Carmichael made his first start since last August, getting the nod over Dom Thomas as Queens began the game in a 4-2-3-1 formation.
Mascot, Captains and Referee
The game started in a very low key fashion from a Queens point of view and most of the early play was towards the Portland Drive end of the ground as the home side spent most of the opening minutes on defensive duties, and after failing to deal properly with a couple of quick free kicks, the Queens defence was prised open after only 9 minutes when the visitors opened the scoring. From an Inverness throw-in, the ball found it`s way to Austin who was able to control the ball, turn inside the penalty area, and fire a low shot past Leighfield to score for the first time for his new club.
Austin opens the scoring
An exasperated manager
Queens needed a quick response, and a foul by Warren presented them with an opportunity from a centrally positioned set-piece, but after the free-kick was taken short to Dobbie, his shot cannoned off a defender for a corner which when delivered was easily dealt with by the visiting defence.
The game`s first yellow card was shown to Darren Brownlie after his foul stopped scorer Austin from breaking clear, and then moments later, Joe Thomson - Queens best player in the opening stages - cut in from the left and tried his luck from 20-yards but `keeper Ridgers was well positioned and saved well. There were two contrasting styles of play on view. Inverness were playing some neat and tidy football, with most things going through the impressive Vigurs, and then there was Queens constantly hitting long balls towards Dobbie and hoping to feed off of any second balls. We had a spell of possession which led to a shot from John Rankin being hit well over the bar, and then Dobbie having a close range header easily saved by Ridgers, but for whatever reason, Queens appeared to be short on belief. Danny Carmichael was booked after he slipped and then fouled his opponent in midfield and from Chalmers` long deep shot come cross from the right, Leighfield had to stretch to tip the ball over for a corner. When the ball was cleared out to Polworth on the left his cross back into the area was glanced home by the head of Oakley on the half an hour mark to give the visitors a lead that their play warranted.
Oakley nets number two
The midfield battle was clearly being won by the away side, with Vigurs and Polworth controlling the game,and a dipping shot from Vigurs wasn`t so far away from finding the target Vigurs next involvement in the action was not quite what he would have wanted as he became the next player to be booked following a challenge on Fordyce, it wasn`t particularly a bad foul, more a result of a couple of other challenges that had mounted up. The half ended with the away side looking to add to their tally, and Oakley had a shot saved, and McKay could have done better from a promising position.
After such a poor showing it was not really surprising to hear a few boos directed towards the Queens players, although some were also directed at referee Anderson, and Caley striker Austin both of whom had caused upset amongst the home support in the crowd of 1140.
HALF-TIME QUEENS 0-2 INVERNESS
Queens made a change at the break when Lyndon Dykes replaced John Rankin with the formation also changing to 4-4-2 which saw Dykes join Dobbie as a twin strike force, but although Queens were better going forward, they were still open to being opened up by Inverness, and Austin really should have put the game well beyond Queens early in the second period but he failed to connect properly and his shot was deflected away.
Having survived that miss Queens tried to push forward and with Dykes helping to create more space up front Dobbie was at last finding some room to play in and he was unlucky to see a goal bound effort charged down. The same player was also on the end of the best move of the game as far as Queens were concerned but his side-foot placed effort from just outside the penalty area lacked the power to beat Ridgers.
Dom Thomas replaced Carmichael on 63 minutes and with Queens still not really finding much momentum, Derek Lyle replaced Kyle Jacobs for the final 15 minutes as they threw caution to the wind and tried to find a way back into the game.
Lyndon Dykes went close with 6 minutes left after creating a shooting opportunity for himself, but although his powerful shot from a tight angle was on target, Ridgers got everything behind the ball and saved well.
Polworth went close late on for the visitors, and Lyle very nearly reduced the arrears in stoppage time when with his back to goal he hooked a shot over his shoulder and onto the bar. However, a goal at that point would have been merely a consolation for Queens as once again - for the 6th time this season - the visiting team left Dumfries with all three points.
Lyles hook shot hit the bar
It is now just 4 wins from 15 games for Queens in 2018, and although still mathematically possible, the reality is that we will not be taking part in the end of season play-offs this time around.