Queens hold league leaders

Dec 10 2008 by Our Correspondent, Dumfries Standard Wednesday

QUEEN of the South held St Johnstone at McDiarmid Park to keep up with the log-jam behind the league leaders.

The Perth side extended its advantage at the top to five points, but the five sides immediately below – including Queens – are only separated by two points.

This was a game Gordon Chisholm’s side could have won but the manager was content to snap a losing streak which had seen his team lose the previous four.

He made four changes to his team and left experienced striker Stephen Dobbie on the bench in a bid to change the team’s fortunes.

It was an entertaining game in spite of the scoreline and Saints felt aggrieved at having a late goal chalked off when Steven Milne took the ball off goalkeeper Cammie Bell as he prepared to clear.

Milne felt he had made a legitimate challenge but referee Michael Tumilty was adamant it was a foul on the goalkeeper and the ‘goal’ was disallowed.

Queens started brightly and had a chance early on when Steve Tosh prodded the ball wide after a good run from Sean O’Connor.

Jim Thomson then had the ball in the net but referee Tumilty spotted a push by Craig Barr earlier in the move and brought play back.

Queen of the South had the better of the first half but there was a scare for Bell when Derek Holmes pounced on a loose ball but sent his shot over the top.

The visitors should have taken the lead six minutes from the break when Saints’ goalkeeper Alan Main failed to cut out a corner but Stewart Kean could not steer his effort on target.

O’Connor had to go off after picking up a knee knock and Dobbie replaced him in the second half but St Johnstone took the game to Queens after half time and looked the more likely to break the deadlock.

Andy Aitken made a great last-ditch challenge to prevent Milne having a clear view of goal with Bell left exposed.

The goalkeeper then failed to gather a Gary Irvine cross but recovered quickly to block Chris Millar’s shot and send it past for a corner.

Milne looked hungry for a goal.

And as St Johnstone enjoyed their best spell of the game Milne curled a great effort towards the net, but it was just too high.

Queens almost snatched a dramatic late winner when Dobbie was sent clear but he was foiled by the alert Main as both teams settled for a point.

Teams

St Johnstone: Main; Irvine, Craig, Morris, Rutkiewicz, McCaffrey, Millar (Moon 74), Hardie, Holmes (MacDonald 70), Milne, Samuel.

Subs: Anderson, Sheerin, Hillcoat.

Queen of the South: Bell; Barr, McQuilken, MacFarlane, Aitken, Thomson, Burns, Tosh, O’Connor (Dobbie 45), Simmons, Kean.

Subs: Weatherston, Robertson, Kinniburgh, Halliwell.

Referee: M Tumilty.

Attendance: 3,068