Queens dropped to second bottom in the Championship standings after they went down to a fourth consecutive home defeat as a single goal loss to Dundee left us still searching for a first win in 2020.

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In pretty dreadful conditions there was little to choose between the teams in the first half, with few chances being created, but it was the visitors who got the games only goal on 72 minutes as a very poor second half Queens performance saw us fail to trouble visiting `keeper Hazzard and eventually lost for the fifth time in six matches.

 

VIPs today

 

Allan Johnston made 3 changes to the team that started at Arbroath, with Scott Mercer, Abdul Osman, and Callum Semple all returning, and Michael Ledger, Connor Murray, and Darren Lyon all dropping out as we lined up in a 3-5-2 formation with Mercer and Kevin Holt operating as wing-backs.

 

It was clear from the outset that the windy conditions would heavily influence the game, and during the opening 10 minutes, the two players most involved in the game were Queens `keeper Ross Stewart, and Dundee captain Josh Meekings. Meekings was involved in several long throws with the majority going through to Stewart, and then Stewart`s clearances - aided by the wind continued to drift out of play only to be thrown back in by Meekings and then cleared out of play by Stewart and so it went on !!

 

Eventually some sort of normal football developed and once again Meekings was involved when his throw-in into midfield was seized upon by Deimantas Petravicius and with a clear run on goal ahead of him the Lithuanian moved forward and tried his luck from the edge of the box but his low drive was comfortably collected by Dundee `keeper Hazzard.

 

Maybe a pass to the left where Dobbie was waiting would have been a better option

 

Queens were once again forced into making an early change when a late challenge by Hemmings on the returning Osman after 18 minutes led to the Queens man not being able to continue and he was replaced by Lewis Kidd.

 

Early change as Osman goes off injured

 

A half chance fell to Stephen Dobbie but his effort was blocked, and the visitors replied with Dorrans having a shot blocked at the other end. The away side almost made a costly error when a back pass from Berra put his `keeper under pressure with the resulting clearance going high but not far and being seized upon by Scott Mercer. The wing back found Dobbie who saw his effort blocked back into Mercer`s path, but his cross was far too strong and the move ended in disappointment. Dundee striker Nelson was very fortunate to escape a caution when his hefty challenge in midfield on Iain Wilson looked very late, but referee Robertson was happy to just issue a firm warning. A driving run through midfield by Wilson produced our next shot on goal, but again there wasn`t sufficient power in Wilson`s drive to really test the Dundee shot-stopper.

 

Just beyond the half an hour stage the visitors had a chance when a long ball bounced over Lee Kilday and sat up nicely for Dorrans to hit on the half-volley, but his composure was missing and he managed to lift the ball over the bar, and over the Portland Drive stand as well. The Queens back three of Devine, Semple and Kilday were defending well particularly as they were faced with plenty of high balls coming at them, and as a consequence Dundee didn`t really pose to many problems.

 

Kidd was on early

 

Minutes before the interval another wind assisted high ball from Meekings found Nelson, but under pressure he could only guide a header beyond the far post.

 

Our final attack of the half saw good play by Dan Pybus being rewarded with a free-kick right on the bye-line on our right, and although Dobbie`s lofted delivery was met by Callum Semple, his header went wide of the target. A header from Berra that went harmlessly wide was the final action of a pretty ordinary opening 45 minutes, but in fairness to both teams, the conditions were not great so at least they had that as an excuse.

 

HALF-TIME QUEENS 0-0 DUNDEE

 

The second period started with the visitors on the attack, and their danger man ? Meekings was involved again as yet another of his long throws caused problems for us, but this time Ross Stewart was alert to make a decent stop to deny Nelson. The Queens `keeper made an even better save minutes later when following a Dundee corner from Dorrans, Forster`s powerful header was smartly tipped over the bar. The resulting corner was well defended but with Queens sitting deep the away team were soon back on the attack and a forward, unchallenged run from Berra allowed him to tee up Hemmings but his low shot flashed just wide of the post.

 

At this point in the game the visitors were just starting to dominate for more sustained periods as for the first time in the contest we came under more sustained pressure, and it was during this spell that the goal that would decide the game arrived. A ball into the box from McGowan on the Dundee right was met by Berra who saw his header instinctively kept out by Stewart, but the Queens `keeper didn`t get the luck that his save deserved as defender Forster slammed the loose ball into the back of the net to give the visitors the lead.

 

Goal for the visitors

 

Queens reacted to falling behind by introducing Gary Oliver in place of Deimantas Petravicius who had not really been involved in the game, and then made a final change 10 minutes from time when Jack Hamilton replaced David Devine, but neither change had any influence on proceedings as we failed to pose any threat to the Dundee defence during the closing minutes, and in fact the away team had several chances to add to their lead as Forster, Hemmings, and then substitute Crankshaw all had presentable opportunities. With full time approaching winning a corner 3 minutes from time was all we could muster as an abysmal day weather wise was mirrored by a fairly abysmal performance on the pitch.

 

Late sub Oliver could not make a difference

 

So another disappointing result for Queens during which we managed to have just two shots on target was made even worse with the news that Alloa had gained a point at Morton after being behind, meaning that for the first time this season we now find ourselves in the bottom two places in the league table and with upcoming games against Morton, and then Partick, it is to be hoped that we can find an upturn in fortunes sooner rather than later.