Lancaster goal salvages point

Mar 11 2009 by Kieran Westbrook, Dumfries Standard Wednesday

QUEENS notched up their sixth successive result without a defeat, drawing 1-1 against a very physical and direct Morton.

Doonhamers’ boss Gordon Chisholm had called for his defenders to “be stronger” in the lead-up to the match, and having a robust rearguard was clearly in his mind when he chose his starting eleven.

Big men Andy Aitken and Jim Thomson returned to the first team, after both had gone long periods without starting a match.

Thomson and Aitken joined Lancaster in a back three, with full backs Ryan McCann and Bob Harris looking to aid the defence and get forward whenever possible.

But the shape and tactics employed by Chisholm were never really allowed to fully shine, with Paul Burns going off injured only 10 minutes into the game.

Burns’ injury came about on the seventh minute when he fell as he swung in a ferocious cross to Kean.

Kean was out-muscled by the Morton defence, and the best Queens could get was a corner.

Burns was replaced by Neil MacFarlane, but before that, Queens took their corner.

Robert Harris floated in a lovely ball which found Stephen Dobbie’s chest at the back post.

The Queens’ front man had kenough time to take the ball down, but was closed down and his shot was blocked and cleared by the Morton back-line.

The rest of the first 20 minutes was a long-ball fest, with Queens’ strong defence dealing with everything Morton had to offer, and the lack of height for the Doonhamers, usually provided by the injured Sean O’Connor, was clear to see.

Then on 24 minutes a good chance for the home side finally came.

Dobbie played the advancing Stevie Tosh through with a lovely flick.

Tosh confidently cut inside and then out as he fooled the Morton defence.

But after finding time and space for the shot on his left foot, he sent the ball straight at the advancing keeper and the chance was gone.

A minute later, Morton winger James McAllister bombed down the left flank, bringing the ball into the box but his near-post shot flew over the bar.

Then Morton were on the attack again, this time a cross met the head of James Grady, but Lee Robinson was more than equal to the shot, diving to send the ball to safety.

After 20 minutes without a good opening, chances were now coming thick and fast for both sides and a goal looked destined.

But unfortunately for the Doonhamers, it was Morton who made the break through.

In the 41st minute, a dangerous corner swung in by James McAllister was met by the head of James Grady.

The diminutive striker found himself free despite Queens’ bulky back-line, and that goal separated the sides at half-time.

Chisholm’s men may have felt hard done by going into the interval behind, but Morton had taken their chance and Queens hadn’t taken theirs.

There were no changes at half-time in terms of personnel or tactics, and Queens best chances were the few times they played the ball on the deck.

The long ball tactics were leaving Stephen Dobbie and Stuart Kean isolated and looking unlikely to score.

But Chisholm did change things, and it looked to be for the better.

Ryan McCann made way for Barry Wilson on 67 minutes, and Queens reverted back to the more conventional 4-4-2 as they pushed for an equaliser.

And the move looked to be bearing fruit when a ball into the box from Martyn Lancaster was inches away from finding Dobbie free at the back post.

Then the game really came to life, with a great run from Bob Harris as he weaved towards the box, leaving Morton defenders in his wake.

But his shot was blocked and went behind for a corner.

The crowd was brought to life by the best chance of the second half so far.

Harris swung in the corner, which was met at the back post by Lancaster who nodded the ball beyond a helpless Kevin Cuthbert.

Queens’ equaliser in the 72nd minute set up a frantic 20 minutes, with both sides pushing for the win.

But with Kean and Dobbie’s work being undone by the strength of Morton, it was the Greenock side that looked more likely to get the win.

The final whistle sounded and Queens earned a point that leaves them just two points ahead of Clyde and the relegation play-off spot.

Gordon Chisholm said: “I couldn’t have asked for any more effort.

“We brought a lot of big boys back – Jimmy (Thomson) and Andy Aitken – to deal with their presence.

“And to allow James Grady the smallest guy on the park to get in with a header, it makes it so difficult.

“But credit to the boys, they kept going at it, and I thought we had a few chances in the first half that just needed tapped in.

“Second half I thought they worked hard and to be honest, I couldn’t see us getting a goal, but we kept at it and got a goal, so I don’t have too many complaints.

“I thought we worked really hard and definitely deserved at least a draw out of it.”

Teams

Queen of the South: Robinson, Lancaster, Aitken, Thompson, McCann (Wilson 67), Harris, Robertson (McQuilken 76), Tosh, Burns (MacFarlane 9), Kean, Dobbie. Subs not used: Halliwell, Weatherston.

Booked: Robertson, Lancaster.

Morton: Cuthbert, McManus, Smith, Greacen, Paartalu (Masterton 78), Jenkins, Finlayson, McGuffie, McAlister, Weatherson (Wake 83), Grady (Russell 62). Subs not used: Cannon, Walker.

Booked: Weatherson, McManus.

Attendance: 2,643.

Referee: Brian Winter.