Following on from last weeks convincing win versus the league leaders Dundee United, ?gaffer? Alan Johnston named an unchanged starting XI and bench for the visit to Alloa. The Doonhamers? record against the Wasps last season was poor, losing three of the four games, while a Stephen Dobbie hat-trick spared Queens? blushes as they recovered from three-nil down to grab a draw. Alloa also picked up a 1-0 victory in the only meeting between the sides this season courtesy of an Alan Trouten goal just after the break.
Match photo gallery click here.
The opening twenty minutes of the game was a tough watch for both sets of fans. While Alloa seen the majority of the ball and territory, Queens looked far more dangerous going forward. Both Robby McCrorie and Jamie MacDonald were nothing but spectators.
Despite a variety of set pieces for each side, neither team created any real openings. On 20 minutes, the games first real chance fell to Queens? playmaker Michael Paton. Good work in the middle by Faissal El Bakhtaoui allowed him to play a dangerous ball throw the heart of the Alloa defence to Paton. However, MacDonald was able to tip a dangerous Paton effort over the bar.
Paton forces a great save from MacDonald
After thirty minutes, the hosts should have taken the lead. The tricky Adam Brown was able to beat Scott Mercer, before delivering a perfect cross into the area. Despite their being three Alloa players in the six-yard box, and a countless number of shots, McCrorie was able to gather the ball after another string of impressive saves and blocks from the Queens rear-guard.
Just three minutes later, the Wasps were made to pay for wasting their chance. After Dobbie was able get into the right-hand corner of the box, he unleashed a venomous strike on goal that struck the post and went in. It was the games first moment of real quality, with Dobbie notching just his 157th goal for the club.
Dobbie and his shadow
Goal celebrations
Just a minute later, Queens doubled their lead through former-Alloa front-man Jack Hamilton. After Paton turned away from his man, he delivered a perfect ball into the area for Hamilton to nod home past MacDonald.
Hamilton heads home number 2
Hamilton celebrates his strike
The last 10 minutes of the period were dominated by the Doonhamers. Two almost became three when Mercer crossed into the path of Paton, but after getting something on the ball, MacDonald was able to gather at full-stretch.
Andy Graham was the first man in referee David Lowe?s book after taking El Bakhtaoui down on the break. Stephen Dobbie almost bagged his second of the game as he found himself through on goal, but again Jamie MacDonald was their to prevent a third for Queens.
HT: Alloa 0-2 QoS
A half-time change for Alloa saw Kevin Cawley replaced by forward Liam Buchanan, as Queens switched to a 4-1-4-1 formation.
Queens had the first chance of the second period again through Dobbie, this time from a tighter angle, but MacDonald was able to hold onto Dobbie?s shot.
Not long after Queens failed to put the game to bed, Alloa pulled one back. Neat play on the edge of the area allowed Alan Trouten space in the Queens area to direct a shot past McCrorie. And within seconds of the restart, a Lewis Kidd slip afforded Kevin O?Hara space down the Queens left to powerfully hit a shot into the roof of the net.
Paton keeps the ball in play, however the unsighted assistant deems it out of play
Two quick goals from Queens were cancelled out by two even quicker goals from Alloa, and all of a sudden Queens found themselves level.
With 25 minutes remaining, the game was there for the taking. Jack Hamilton was the first man to try and put Queens ahead, getting on the end of an El Bakhtaoui cross, but despite MacDonald finding himself in no-mans-land, the retreating Robbie Deas was there to make a simply sensational block on the goal-line to keep the scores level.
With ten minutes remaining, Gary Oliver came on to replace Hamilton. Not long after the change, Queens had by far their best chance to win the game. As Dobbie twisted and turned down the left, he laid the ball off to Paton on the edge of the area. All Paton had to do was guide the ball into the corner, but he guided it the wrong side of the post.
The final few minutes were played out with no chances of note for either side, as the game drew to a dull conclusion.
FT: Alloa 2-2 QoS
A draw was probably a fair result on the balance of things, however Queens will feel hard done by after surrendering a two-goal lead.
The agony of being a Queen of the South manager
The games come thick and fast at this time of the year, with Inverness making the 200-plus mile trip to Dumfries on Tuesday evening. It?s a 7.45PM kick-off at Palmerston, we?ll see you there.