Queens drop into the danger zone

Apr 8 2009 by Our Correspondent, Dumfries Standard Wednesday

QUEEN of the South manager Gordon Chisholm has warned his players that they are now “in a battle” as they went down 2-1 to Ross County.

Second bottom Airdrie are now breathing down their necks just four points behind and five games to go.

“Chis” slammed the performance of his players in the first half in which they lost two early goals, but admitted: “The second half was a world of difference.

“They showed determination and made enough chances to get something out of it.

“We need that determination they showed in the second half and we need boys that will now stand up and be counted.”

The Ross County players may have had a tiring trip to Dumfries with their bus breaking down and having to be replaced and eventually landing in the town after a marathon six-hour journey, but they certainly weren’t slow out of the starting blocks.

It took them just five minutes to break the deadlock with top scorer Sean Higgins netting his 13th goal of the season as he ran onto a pass from veteran Craig Brewster to slip the ball past the advancing keeper.

In fact, in his seven years with County, that is the first goal he has scored against the Doonhamers and the first time he has been in a winning side at Palmerston.

That opening goal shocked the Dumfries men who had started brightly with Scott Boyd forced to clear a header from Jim Thomson off the line.

And even after the goal the Dumfries men were sprightly with Stephen Dobbie getting the ball in the net but being ruled offside.

Then came that second goal for County and a cracker it was as Brewster picked up the ball 25 yards out, looked up and crashed a shot high into the net which gave keeper Lee Robinson no chance.

It put County right on top with Queens defenders having a nightmare as their confidence waned and no-one seemed to want to take responsibility on the ball.

But they managed to hold out till the interval and a pep talk from their manager which changed the course of the game.

The Dumfries men came out after the break and right away pulled one back as Stephen Dobbie jigged his way round a defender in the box and netted with an angular drive.

It revitalised his side and they put pressure on County as they pressed for the equaliser.

It was particularly in the later stages that Joe Malin played a hero’s role as he parried a cracking drive from Paul Burns and then made a tremendous diving save to stop Martyn Lancaster grabbing the equaliser.

And then in the dying minutes the keeper could only palm out a shot which fell for former Caley veteran Barry Wilson and from eight yards he hammered the ball just wide.

Boss Chisholm added: “When they lost that early goal you could see the confidence going and the team thinking here we go again.

“But I told them at half time it is all about responsibility and they responded and I just felt we should have come out of the game with something.”

Teams

Queen of the South: Robinson, Lancaster, Harris, Barr (McCann 75), Thomson, McQuilken (Weatherston 75), Wilson, Tosh (MacFarlane 78), Burns, Kean, Dobbie.

Subs not used - Halliwell, McGowan.

Ross County: Malin, Dowie, Keddie, McCulloch, Boyd, Watt, Brittain (Hart 73), Laswon, Gardyne, Higgins (Daal 84), Brewster (Craig 65).

Substitutes not used - Donnelly, Morrison.

Referee: Mr Craig Charleston.

Attendance: 2029.