Queen's started slugglishy on the plastic pitch at Recreation Park, Scott Agnew coming close to giving Alloa the lead with less than a minute gone. Andy Ferguson also came close for the home side, before three minutes had passed. Queen's did begin to fight back and after 11 minutes Alan Trouten had his goalbound volley hacked off the line by ex Spider Ross Clark. Neither side were creating much in a lacklustre half, but Alloa gained the advantage from nowhere, midway through the half.
A corner kick fell to Ferguson and his shot was well saved by Cairns who palmed it out to Cairney. The young midfielder dallied on the ball 20 yards out and was robbed of possesion by an Alloa midfielder who drilled a twenty yard shot towards the bottom corner, Cairns made a stunning low stop but could only divert the ball out to the waiting Ferguson who smashed the ball into the net.
The half seemed intent on petering out with Queen's struggling to play any football one good move did almost result in a goal however. Dunlop's long pass found its way to the feet of Robert Dunn twenty yards out, he turned well bore down on Jellemma in the Wasps goal one-on-one, and should have done more than hammer the ball at the keeper's body.
The rain began to pour on Alloa as the teams emerged for the second half, and it didn't start well. Kettlewell injured his shoulder in a clash with Grant in the centre of the park and Stark was forced to withdraw his captain for Paul Ronald on 60 minutes after Ketts attempted to play through the pain. Ronaldo's introduction, co-incided with the Queen's leveller. A neat passing move ended in a through pass from Paton to Canning, he waited for the ball to sit for him and hammered it past Jellema at lighting pace from a tight angle, 1-1 and the goal sparked great celebrations on the park and on the terrace behind the goal. Queen's now looked a different team, and Paul Cairney should have levelled when he lifted a shot from 12 yards well over, with the goal gaping. 79 minutes were gone, and Queen's had the lead.
Another great passing move ended with Canning, his long range through pass went to Trouten who was inside the full back Derek Fleming, all he could do was haul down Trouten from behind and ref Iain Brines pointed to the spot. Jellema and Trouten exchanged pleasantries before he placed the ball down, and for the second time this season Trouten netted against the Wasps keeper, with a late goal. 2-1 Queen's, and the fans could sense victory. Substitute Stuart McGrady almost scored with a glancing header from three yards moments later after he had done well to meet Paul Paton's free kick and Paul Ronald had saw a fabulous hook shot just narrowly wide before the whistle went, and the curtain went up on Billy's tenure as Spiders boss.
QUEEN'S PARK: Mark Cairns, Paul Paton, Mick Dunlop, Richard Sinclair, Damiano Agostini, Alan Trouten, Stuart Kettlewell (Paul Ronald), Paul Cairney, Robert Dunn (Stuart McGrady), Stephen Canning, Mark Ferry
SUBS NOT USED: Tony Quinn, Stephen Reilly, Zander Cowie (gk)
GOALSCORER(S): Stephen Canning (60), Alan Trouten (79)
REFEREE: Iain Brines
ATTENDANCE: 534
MAN OF THE MATCH: Stephen Canning