Queen's Park failed to record a victory for the 4th league game in a row at Hampden yesterday against ultra defensive Montrose whose solid backline helped them grind out a point against Billy Stark's side.
Coach Billy was without key players in Mark Cairns, Stephen Reilly, Richard Sinclair and Jonny Whelan meaning that David Crawford lined up in goals with a defence of Paton, Dunlop, Molloy and Agostini in front of him. In midfield it was Kettlewell, Trouten, Canning and Ferry with Weatherston and Carroll making up the 2 man forward line.
It was Queen's who started the first half better on what was a horrible pitch, due to concerts by the Rolling Stones and Robbie Williams in the last couple of weeks, and despite dominating possesion we couldn't find the final ball against a Gable Endies defence consisting of 6 players, other than Mark Ferry having a few long range efforts charged down by the packed defence and Weatherston overhitting a low cross after beating two defenders on the wide left, there was nothing much for the 404 strong Hampden crowd to get excited about in the opening 25 minutes.
Alan Trouten came close with a header from six yards after a pinpoint Ferry crossafter 30 minutes and moments later Montrose were forced into a change. Off went top scorer Scott Michie to be replaced by the defender/midfielder/forward who has been a thorn in Queen's side for many years, Steve Kerrigan.
But, the best chance of the half fell to David Weatherston with only minutes remaining of the first half. He chased down Frankie Carroll's through ball and found himself one-on-one with Montrose keeper Andy Reid, he could have went inside, laid the ball to Alan Trouten in the middle, chipped the goalkeeper or had a pop at goal, he didn't do any of these and he instead took himself wide of the keeper on his left foot and his poor cross was headed away by Jed Stirling, with others queuing up behind the former Dirty Rovers man to head the ball clear.
HALF TIME: Montrose 0 - 0 Queen's Park
The second half followed a very similiar pattern early on with Spiders having all the ball but the lack of goalscoring chances was glaring. We looked scared to have a pop when we reached shooting range and with players like Steve Canning and Mark Ferry that is inexcusable that came around again when Canning was given the ball 20 yards out he could have shot but instead laid the ball on to Weatherston out wide whose cross didn't find anyone.
Montrose made their first venture into Queen's box on 55 minutes and frustatingly this resulted in the opener, Agostini fouled Rodgers as he ran in on goal and the former Dumbarton forward picked himself up to slam the ball high to Crawford's right from the penalty spot.
The football was still there but there was no end product whatsoever, Mark Ferry delivered a perfect cross for Carroll at the near post but he glanced his free header all the way across the 6 yard box to give Montrose a goal kick. Billy Stark had seen enough and he made what was his first ever triple substitution as Queen's manager on 65 minutes. Off came Steven Canning, Shaun Molloy and Frankie Carroll to be replaced by Robert Dunn, Paul Ronald and Tony Quinn.
They changed the game and suddenly Queen's looked threatening the chances started to came and on 70 something minutes Tony Quinn couldn't quite connect with the ball after barging through the Montrose defence and finding himself six yards from goal.
Robertson's side were now starting to pick up the timewasting and one man this riled up was Mark Ferry he went mental at Montrose defender Higgins as he lay on the deck with a convenient head knock as Spiders broke towards goal and on his return to the pitch he narrowly missed Fez's face with what looked like a deliberate swinging elbow.
They'll regret that now as it was a Fez piledriver that rescued Spiders a point with five minutes remaining. Paul Ronald's cross was headed clear by a Montrose defender and eventually Mark Ferry took control of the ball 35 yards out, he dropped his shoulder cut inside Stephen Fraser and whacked a low 30 yard shot past Reid and into the bottom right hand corner of the net.
Next up is Motherwell on Wednesday, and we'll need something a lot more than this if we are to record another famous CIS Cup shock.
QUEEN'S PARK: David Crawford, Paul Paton, Mick Dunlop, Shaun Molloy (Tony Quinn), Damiano Agostini, Steven Canning (Robert Dunn), Stuart Kettlewell, Alan Trouten, Frankie Carroll (Paul Ronald), David Weatherston, Mark Ferry
SUBS NOT USED: Alexander Cowie, Richard Bowers
GOALSCORER(S): Mark Ferry (85)
BOOKING(S): Damiano Agostini, Paul Paton, Stuart Kettlewell
REFEREE: Anthony Law
ATTENDANCE: 404
MAN OF THE MATCH: Mark Ferry, Brilliant in midfield with some fantastic passing, his crossing created a few chances for the side and his brilliant late strike earned Queen's an unlikely looking point.
Coach Billy was without key players in Mark Cairns, Stephen Reilly, Richard Sinclair and Jonny Whelan meaning that David Crawford lined up in goals with a defence of Paton, Dunlop, Molloy and Agostini in front of him. In midfield it was Kettlewell, Trouten, Canning and Ferry with Weatherston and Carroll making up the 2 man forward line.
It was Queen's who started the first half better on what was a horrible pitch, due to concerts by the Rolling Stones and Robbie Williams in the last couple of weeks, and despite dominating possesion we couldn't find the final ball against a Gable Endies defence consisting of 6 players, other than Mark Ferry having a few long range efforts charged down by the packed defence and Weatherston overhitting a low cross after beating two defenders on the wide left, there was nothing much for the 404 strong Hampden crowd to get excited about in the opening 25 minutes.
Alan Trouten came close with a header from six yards after a pinpoint Ferry crossafter 30 minutes and moments later Montrose were forced into a change. Off went top scorer Scott Michie to be replaced by the defender/midfielder/forward who has been a thorn in Queen's side for many years, Steve Kerrigan.
But, the best chance of the half fell to David Weatherston with only minutes remaining of the first half. He chased down Frankie Carroll's through ball and found himself one-on-one with Montrose keeper Andy Reid, he could have went inside, laid the ball to Alan Trouten in the middle, chipped the goalkeeper or had a pop at goal, he didn't do any of these and he instead took himself wide of the keeper on his left foot and his poor cross was headed away by Jed Stirling, with others queuing up behind the former Dirty Rovers man to head the ball clear.
HALF TIME: Montrose 0 - 0 Queen's Park
The second half followed a very similiar pattern early on with Spiders having all the ball but the lack of goalscoring chances was glaring. We looked scared to have a pop when we reached shooting range and with players like Steve Canning and Mark Ferry that is inexcusable that came around again when Canning was given the ball 20 yards out he could have shot but instead laid the ball on to Weatherston out wide whose cross didn't find anyone.
Montrose made their first venture into Queen's box on 55 minutes and frustatingly this resulted in the opener, Agostini fouled Rodgers as he ran in on goal and the former Dumbarton forward picked himself up to slam the ball high to Crawford's right from the penalty spot.
The football was still there but there was no end product whatsoever, Mark Ferry delivered a perfect cross for Carroll at the near post but he glanced his free header all the way across the 6 yard box to give Montrose a goal kick. Billy Stark had seen enough and he made what was his first ever triple substitution as Queen's manager on 65 minutes. Off came Steven Canning, Shaun Molloy and Frankie Carroll to be replaced by Robert Dunn, Paul Ronald and Tony Quinn.
They changed the game and suddenly Queen's looked threatening the chances started to came and on 70 something minutes Tony Quinn couldn't quite connect with the ball after barging through the Montrose defence and finding himself six yards from goal.
Robertson's side were now starting to pick up the timewasting and one man this riled up was Mark Ferry he went mental at Montrose defender Higgins as he lay on the deck with a convenient head knock as Spiders broke towards goal and on his return to the pitch he narrowly missed Fez's face with what looked like a deliberate swinging elbow.
They'll regret that now as it was a Fez piledriver that rescued Spiders a point with five minutes remaining. Paul Ronald's cross was headed clear by a Montrose defender and eventually Mark Ferry took control of the ball 35 yards out, he dropped his shoulder cut inside Stephen Fraser and whacked a low 30 yard shot past Reid and into the bottom right hand corner of the net.
Next up is Motherwell on Wednesday, and we'll need something a lot more than this if we are to record another famous CIS Cup shock.
QUEEN'S PARK: David Crawford, Paul Paton, Mick Dunlop, Shaun Molloy (Tony Quinn), Damiano Agostini, Steven Canning (Robert Dunn), Stuart Kettlewell, Alan Trouten, Frankie Carroll (Paul Ronald), David Weatherston, Mark Ferry
SUBS NOT USED: Alexander Cowie, Richard Bowers
GOALSCORER(S): Mark Ferry (85)
BOOKING(S): Damiano Agostini, Paul Paton, Stuart Kettlewell
REFEREE: Anthony Law
ATTENDANCE: 404
MAN OF THE MATCH: Mark Ferry, Brilliant in midfield with some fantastic passing, his crossing created a few chances for the side and his brilliant late strike earned Queen's an unlikely looking point.