Queens claimed their first Championship victory of the season this afternoon as they recorded a narrow single goal win over Morton courtesy of Faissal El Bakhtaoui `s first goal for the club. There was little to choose between the teams for much of the game as both teams had spells when they were on top, particularly when they had the winds at their backs, but ultimately in a game of few clear cut chances, it was Queens who came out on top.

Match photos here.

 

There were three changes to the Queens team that started against Clyde last time out as Robby McCrorie, Lewis Kidd, and Gary Oliver all returned, and Jack Leighfield, Darren Lyon, and Michael Paton all began on the bench as we lined up in a 4-4-2 formation.

 

VIPs today

 

The opening exchanges were pretty uneventful with the ball spending a good deal of time either in the air, or being given away in midfield by both sets of players as there was little in the way of constructive football being played.

 

Queens won an early corner which had far too much on it from El Bakhtaoui`s delivery, and the nearest either side came to hitting the target came when good approach play involving Oliver and El Bakhtaoui won another corner, and when the ball fell to Bakhtaoui at the back he couldn`t keep his shot on target.

 

The visitors responded when Cadden showed good close control to set up a shooting opportunity for himself, but his shot didn`t match his earlier skill and went well over the bar.

 

Having failed to find the net in the first half in any of our previous four league games this season, on 16 minutes that statistic was ended when we took the lead. Good hold up play from Oliver on the left allowed him to find the time to switch play to the right with a lovely cross field pass that picked out Scott Mercer who in turn slipped a pass through to Stephen Dobbie, and although his shot was blocked the ball fell kindly for Faissal El Bakhtaoui who drove the ball into the bottom left hand corner and beyond the dive of Rogers.

 

El Bakhtaoui strikes the winner

 

El Bakhtaoui celebrates his strike

 

The goal sparked the game into life and for the majority of the rest of the half both sides took it in turn to attack, although to be fair, neither side created what could be called a clear cut opportunity. Former Queens man, Kyle Jacobs went close with a low drive that skipped just wide of the far upright, and then following a long diagonal ball from Dan Pybus, El Bakhtaoui produced an audacious piece of skill to flick the ball past his opponent and bear down on goal, but his final shot lacked accuracy although his skill and effort drew warm applause form the home support.

 

The away side then won 3 corners in quick succession as they began to apply some sustained pressure, but some resolute defending - particularly from Lee Kilday, and Scott Mercer made sure that the Queens clean sheet remained intact.

 

The best move of the half from a Queens perspective came after 35 minutes when El Bakhtaoui,Kevin Holt, and Oliver all combined well to set up a chance for Stephen Dobbie, but with the Queens talisman still searching for his first league goal of the campaign, his shot was comfortably saved by Morton `keeper Rogers. A foul on Oliver by Cadden saw the games first yellow card, and from the resultant free-kick some 35-yards from goal, Dobbie`s effort was poor and trundled well wide of the left-hand upright.

 

The last chance of the half fell to Morton when McAlister got free from the defence, but his header lacked the power to trouble Robby McCrorie and Queens reached the interval in front in a league game for the first time this season.

 

HALF-TIME QUEENS 1-0 GREENOCK MORTON

 

The visitors made a bright start to the second forty-five and went very close to levelling the game with their first attack of the half. Good pace from Cadden down the Morton left saw him skip beyond Mercer and get to the bye-line where he drove a powerful shot towards goal but could only find the side netting.

 

Queens replied with a low drive from Dobbie that was easily gathered by Rogers, whilst at the other end Robby McCrorie saved well to keep out an effort from Colville.

 

Morton made a double change on 65 minutes and there was an immediate increased urgency about their play as they looked for an equaliser, and this point in the game was probably Morton`s best as they started to push Queens further and further back. They had plenty of pace on either wing as both Cadden on the left, and Salkeld on the right were continually causing problems, but Kilday and Darren Brownlie were standing firm as Queens edged towards a first clean sheet since the opening game at Arbroath.

 

We made our first change when Michael Paton replaced Connor Murray midway through the half, and following a long clearance by McCrorie, Dobbie latched onto the ball and fired a powerful drive goalwards that stung the palms of `keeper Rogers.

 

Dobbie then had an even better chance to claim his first league goal of the season when he was on the end of a perfect cross from Paton, but from close range he could only glance a header wide of the far post.

 

Dobbie comes close with a header

 

Again Morton had a good chance to draw level this time Colville provided the cross only to see substitute Sutton blaze the ball well over the bar. A foul in midfield by Welsh on Oliver led to referee Beaton producing a second yellow card,and from the free-kick that followed, Dobbie`s powerful strike went straight at Rogers.

 

Jack Hamilton replaced Gary Oliver for the final 12 minutes and although he hardly featured in an attacking sense, the decision to bring him into the game certainly added to Queens ability to defend as for the final minutes, Morton attacked from every angle.

 

The away side very nearly scored the goal they were searching for on 82 minutes, and it was only down to the brilliance of Robby McCrorie that prevented them from doing so. A foul by Kilday on McAlister 25-yards out and in a central position set up a perfect opportunity for Cadden. His shot was powerful,and high enough to go over the wall and looked to be heading for the top corner, but McCrorie reacted quickly to get across his goal and push the ball over angle of post and bar to produce an outstanding save and maintain Queens advantage. From the corner Colville rose well to get his head to the cross but thankfully for Queens the ball went just past the post.

 

McCrorie makes a crucial save

 

The wall watches as McCrorie makes sure he keeps a clean sheet

 

Dan Pybus became the third player to be booked following a handball in midfield, and our third and final change saw Darren Lyon replace Stephen Dobbie with four minutes remaining.

 

One final chance came for the visitors late on when Colville again met the ball first, but this time although his header was on target, it lacked any power and Robby McCrorie was able to collect the ball comfortably.

 

It was the Queens shot stopper who gained the accolade of being named man-of-the-match, as for the first time this season, we collected all three points which left the majority of the 1302 attendance both happy, and relieved. Not sure about the end of match music though, what happened to the Black Eyed Peas ??