Queens were beaten by bottom side Alloa as they returned to competitive action for the first time in three weeks, with the result sending them down to eighth place in the updated Championship table, just a point clear of the relegation play-off spot, although they do have two games in hand over several teams.
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The first half was quite simply awful from a Queens perspective as they reached the interval 2 goals behind, and despite a much improved second period during which they deservedly worked their way back into the game, they were hit by a well crafted breakaway goal that wrapped up the victory for the bottom side who made 2 wins from 2 games this week.
Ladies Day
With Robby McCrorie moving on, Ross Stewart made his Queens debut in goal, whilst young central defender David Devine also made his first Queens start partnering Darren Brownlie at the heart of the defence with the injured Lee Kilday missing for only the second league game of the season.
The game was less than 90 seconds old when the first yellow card was produced by referee Duncan as a crunching challenge in midfield by Hetherington on Gary Oliver left the Queens player in a good deal of agony, with the Alloa man perhaps a bit fortunate to see only a yellow card.
Queens made a promising start and a cross shot from Stephen Dobbie was blocked away for our first corner of the game, and although nothing came from the set-piece we continued to press and when Abdul Osman picked out Dobbie he was only able to drag a low shot wide of the target. However, that bright opening from Queens was about to change as in virtually their first attacking move of the game, on 8 minutes the visitors took the lead. A cross into the Queens box from the right should have made for an easy clearance for Darren Brownlie but instead he could only play the ball straight into the path of O`Hara who smashed the ball beyond debutant Stewart to score his third goal in two games.
Brownlie watches as Alloa take the lead
Queens were clearly rocked, and their play started to become more disjointed which inevitably led to the away team gaining in confidence. A heavy challenge on Scott Mercer left the full-back struggling and although he continued he did appear to be not quite right, and on 14 minutes Queens were carved wide open when a long ball picked out goalscorer O`Hara and his cross from the left was knocked home by Thomson as Alloa doubled their lead.
Goal two from Alloa as Stewart is unable to do anything to stop the effort
We were forced into making an early change when Michael Paton replaced Mercer, with Darren Lyon moving to fill in at right back.
Apart from the opening minutes we had hardly reached the visiting team`s penalty box, but Brownlie went close to making amends for his earlier mistake when he met Connor Murray`s corner but his header lacked the power to test former Queens `keeper Jamie MacDonald.
A move down the right that was started by Abdul Osman ended with Oliver firing a low shot into the side-netting, and after winning a couple of corners in quick succession, Devine went close to making a scoring debut but his effort from close range went the wrong side of the near post.
Watching the way Alloa were moving and passing the ball around with extreme confidence, you would not have thought that they were sitting at the foot of the table, and inspired by the promptings of both Flannigan, and O`Hara some of their play was very impressive, whereas Queens seemed to be short of ideas and often resorted to the long ball which was easily dealt with by the visiting defence.
On 37 minutes a cross from the left from Oliver was met by Dobbie, but he couldn`t keep his header down. The game was held up for several minutes when MacDonald went down after clearing the ball, and after receiving treatment he was replaced by substitute `keeper Wilson.
End of the match for former Queens Cup Final keeper MacDonald
Probably our best move of the half came minutes before the interval when a neat passing move involving Lyon, Dobbie and then Oliver yielded yet another corner - our 6th of the half - but once again we failed to capitalise on the situation which resulted in the substitute `keeper not being tested. The interval was reached with Queens having not really got themselves into the game, and the scoreline certainly reflected the way the game had gone.
HALF-TIME QUEENS 0-2 ALLOA ATHLETIC
After what had been a very poor first half, it was obvious that something needed to change for Queens, and Jack Hamilton was sent on in place of Gary Oliver and the 4-2-1-3 formation was swapped for the more conventional 4-4-2 as we set about working our way back into the game.
Almost straight away there was more urgency about our play and we won yet another corner early on, this time Murray`s delivery was too deep and Alloa were able to clear their lines comfortably.
Jack Hamilton was already starting to cause problems for the Alloa central defenders and he did well to latch onto a long clearance but after getting into a shooting position from very close range and from a tight angle he blazed the ball well over the crossbar. That was promising though for Queens and it was to be the young striker who would drag Queens back into the game following their next attack. Dobbie did exceptionally well to keep the ball in play on the bye-line and when his low ball across the face of the goal caused confusion, Jack Hamilton pounced to steer the ball home from close range to score our first goal of the new decade.
Hamilton persists and finally digs the ball out and into the back of the net
Hamilton celebrates his strike
Having pulled a goal back Queens increased the tempo and just short of the hour mark they were level. A foul on Murray saw Queens win a free-kick wide on the right and although the initial ball in was cleared, Hamilton and Holt between them were able to lay the ball into the path of Stephen Dobbie who produced an unstoppable drive that flew in off the underside of the bar and gave the Queens talisman his 7th league goal of the season.
Classic Dobbie strike from just outside the box
Classic Dobbie celebration
At this point the flow of the game had changed completely and Queens were well in control, but for some reason they were not able to push home their dominance, and slowly but surely the visitors began to steady the ship and return to the composed style of football they had displayed in the first half. A shot from Cawley was comfortably saved by Stewart, whilst we responded with another attempt from Dobbie that didn`t miss by much.
With a draw looking more and more likely as the clock ticked on, Queens were caught out again when with 9 minutes to play, the visitors scored again. As we pushed forward we left space down our left and we were punished when substitute Stirling produced an excellent delivery that was swept beyond Stewart by the impressive O`Hara.
Winner from Alloa
There was still time left for Queens to create four really good opportunities to at least take a point from the game, and realistically the final moments produced some of our best attacking play. Firstly Hamilton should probably have done better with a flicked header when placed following Dobbie`s pinpoint cross, then Kevin Holt blazed an effort well over the bar from a tight angle, and then Dobbie saw his shot that took a slight deflection superbly pushed away by `keeper Wilson. The best chance however fell to Hamilton but from the centre of the goal his powerful shot was straight at the `keeper who nevertheless still had to react well to make the save -and a shot either side of the `keeper would certainly have resulted in an equaliser -
A late effort from Hamilton drew a great save from the Alloa keeper
Strangely after seeing a yellow card issued as earlier as the opening minute, there were no more cautions in the game as the result gave Alloa a third win in four league games which moved them off the bottom of the table, and for Queens,it leaves them just 3 points from bottom place - albeit with 2 games in hand -with very important fixtures against Dunfermline, Morton and Arbroath looming.