Queens top the league with six-goal sensation

Oct 8 2008 by Iain Pollock, Dumfries Standard Wednesday

QUEENS stormed to the top of the league with a six-goal rout of Livingston’s toothless Lions.

Stephen Dobbie got the Doonhamers off to a dream start with two strikes in the first 12 minutes.

Dave Mackay pulled one back for the visitors with a cracking left-foot drive from 25 yards midway through the half.

But from then on it was the Queen of the South show with two goals from David Weatherston and singles from Jamie McQuilken and Paul Burns.

Manager Gordon Chisholm hailed his conquering heroes as they moved top of the first division for the first time in five years.

He said: “I thought the boys were fantastic. From goalkeeper all the way through they showed a tremendous attitude and overall I thought it was a great performance.

“There’s no doubt that now we’re top of the league other teams will think we’re there to be knocked off ... so can we live with it?

“I think we can –- barring injuries and suspensions we’ve got the squad and we’ve got one or two boys who weren’t even stripped, so we’re there to stay and we’ll make sure our feet are on the ground for the next match.”

Flying winger Weatherston, who made his first start for the club since joining, added: “The hard bit now is to stay top ... everyone will be gunning to get us and we have to take each game as it comes.”

Weatherston has made himself a big hit with the Dumfries fans after making the breakthrough in his debut game against Ross County last month, but feels he is not yet fully fit after missing competitive matches for more than a month at the start of the season.

He added: “I think we are capable of going all the way though there are four or five other teams who will be thinking the same. It’s going to be a long season but I’m looking forward to it.”

Queens were without Gary Arbuckle – who had paved the way to victory the previous week with his first goal for the club – failing to pass a fitness test, but Livingston had striker Leigh Griffiths back from injury, though starting on the bench.

The game kicked off with heavy rain sweeping from the Terregles Street end and the fans in the terracing end packed to the rear in a bid to shelter from the elements.

Queens won the toss and booked to play against the rain swept conditions and it paid off in just three minutes.

Neil MacFarlane slipped the ball out to the left and Weatherston put in a low cross for Dobbie to hit home from eight yards.

Queens went two up in 12 minutes when a clearance again beat the Livi back line and Dobbie nipped past a defender, round the keeper and slipped the ball into the net.

The shell-shocked Livi defenders looked in a panic every time the Dumfries men moved forward as they reeled from the two quick goals.

But midway through the half they showed signs of settling and began to pose some problems for the home side as they used the conditions to their advantage.

They pulled one back through Mackay’s powerful shot in the 25th minute.

But Queens were immediately back into attack and an effort by MacFarlane went just past the upright.

Keeper Pierre Martini saved his side just on the half hour when Weatherston burst through and cracked in a low drive which brought out a fine diving save.

But he couldn’t stop Queens going further ahead on the stroke of half-time when Weatherston blasted into the net from the edge of the box.

Livi made a determined bid after the break and Murray Davidson cracked in a drive which went well wide.

They pushed on Leigh Griffiths five minutes after the restart in a bid to put more punch up front and he was presented with a chance immediately but put it well past.

Queens again found a way through the Livi defence in 58 minutes when Paul Burns cut in from the right and sent the ball across the face of the goal for Weatherston to grab his second by side footing past the keeper.

Incredibly Queens forced their first corner after this which saw the ball cleared out to Tosh who cracked in a shot just wide of the post.

The Dumfries men could have gone nap when Dobbie ran clear of the defence and switched the ball across for Stewart Kean whose finish was just tipped clear by the keeper.

There was a further blow for Livi in 74 minutes when Callum Elliot was given a yellow following a tackle and then seemed to make a gesture to the referee who immediately produced the yellow again and then the consequential red.

Queens added their fifth a minute later when Burns slipped the ball across to substitute Jamie McQuilken who cracked it high into the net from 25 yards.

And the Dumfries men completed the rout eight minutes from time when Burns gathered a clearance and slipped the ball past the advancing keeper.

Queens were reduced to 10 men for the final five minutes when Dobbie limped off injured but he is hopeful that he will be available for their next match a week on Saturday.

The striker praised the Dumfries fans for their turnout in miserable conditions.

He said: “They were great and played a major part in motivating us – that’s what we want every week and now that we’re top maybe they’ll turn out in greater numbers.”

Teams

Queen of the South: Bell, McGowan, Harris (McQuilken 70), Sives, Thomson, MacFarlane (Simmons 67), Burns, Tosh, Weatherston, Dobbie, Kean (O’Connor 81).

Subs not used: Barr, Halliwell.

Livingston: Martini, Mackay, Talbot, Giarrizzo (McDonald 28), Innes, Fox, McParland (Griffiths 50), Davidson, Hammill, Elliot, Quinn. Subs not used: Cuenca, Miller, McKenzie.

Referee: Chris Boyle.

Attendance: 3,266.