Clyde were the visitors to Palmerston for our final game of 2022 and we rounded it off with a very important win.

With seven players missing through injury, long term absentees, Stuart Morrison and Euan East along with Max Currie (foot), Connor Murray (hip), Lee Connelly (groin), Rico Quitongo (shoulder) and Harry Cochrane (eye), Grant Murray was short of numbers but made two changes to the side that started against Falkirk.  Charlie Cowie recalled from his loan spell at Gartcairn took over in goals while, Gavin Reilly returned to replace Connor Murray. 

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It was a low-key start to the game and although the visitors had more of the ball, they failed to test Cowie. Queens first attempt came midway through the first half when Josh Todd played a good ball over the top for Stephen Hendrie to chase but Neil Parry reacted well and got there before the defender.  Two minutes before the interval, Queens made a good break and Calvin McGrory found Lewis Gibson with a decent side pass, but his first-time delivery into the box was cleared.  McGrory then made a cross but Reilly didn?t challenge. 

It was an opening forty-five that lacked quality from both sides and the goal-less score-line was a true reflection of the attempts on goal.  

HALF-TIME:  Queens 0 Clyde 0 

The second half started in a similar vein, with neither side getting to grips with the tricky conditions, but on the hour mark, Queens started to click and upped the tempo.  McGrory?s corner was headed wide by Ruari Paton before McGrory?s free kick deep into the box was missed by Paton and behind Paul McKay. Those half chances sparked an urgency within Queens, and they looked a better side, but they were struggling to break into and make it count in the final third. 

They did have the ball in the net with ten minutes to go when Iain Wilson slotting the ball past Parry after McGrory?s shot was blocked but the flag was up for offside and didn?t count. A minute later, McGrory again played the ball into the danger area, but it was just too high for young Ross Irving who had come off the bench to replace Reilly.   

On top Queens just couldn?t get the breakthrough until Gibson won the game with a piece of magic, five minutes from time.  Wilson made a great charge up-field from the by-line after defending a Clyde attack and as he found Gibbo on the right the tricky winger cut inside and hit a beautiful left foot shot that took a slight deflection into the bottom corner.  

It wasn?t the best game of football and Queens may have left it late, but it was a massive victory to ensure they end the year on a high. 

FULL-TIME:  Queens 1 Clyde 0