PATON CRACKER SEALS VICTORY FOR QUEENS OVER BULLY WEE

Magnificent goal by PATON

Queens kicked off life in Division 1 with a well deserved if narrow win over a tough tackling Clyde outfit. The narrow margin of the win flattered Clyde who were put on the rack for long periods by a lively Queens team in which Bowey in midfield was quite outstanding. Both teams started quietly after the Championship flag was hoisted in front of over 3,000 fans on a beautiful afternoon at Palmy. Andy Goram was the busier of the two keepers as Clyde stroked the ball about in midfield and life was beginning to feel rather uneasy for Queens in their Div 1 debut. Queens however were giving nothing away and despite some anxious moments began to put the Clyde defence under severe pressure. McAlpine was causing problems and O'Connors' direct style was unsettling the Clyde defence. However Andy Goram in the Queens goal was helpless on the 10 minute mark when a header from Keogh just cleared the home cross-bar. As mentioned previously McAlpine was proving a handfull for the Bully Wee and from one of his runs O'Connor found himself in a great position to score but somehow sliced his shot across the Clyde goal. Fortunately for Queens POTTER one of the Clyde defenders came running in and in his desperate attempt to clear put the ball into his own net much to the horror of McEwan in the Clyde goal. The goal was greeted with great relief by the Palmy faithfull and the war drums began to beat out from the Glasgow Street end as Queens swept forward to press home their advantage. No more goals came thanks to a combination of poor finishing,desperate Clyde defence and sheer bad luck. O'Connor was also becoming the victim of some heavy tackling from the robust Clyde defence. The big striker eventually sustained and injury and had to leave the field to be replaced by Lyle.

Half-Time Queens 1 Clyde 0

Queens swept forward after the break and had the Bully Wee under intense pressure for long periods. Bowey was simply outstanding in mid-field for Queens as he forced the Clyde defence into countless errors which the Palmy oufit really should have punished. Clyde were by no means out of it and created several openings but Queens defence with Aitken and Allen outstanding were giving nothing away in front of an impressive Andy Goram. Queens however despite some impressive play just could not find the vital second goal. Atkinson in particular should have sealed it for Queens put chose to blast the ball into Terregles Street instead of picking his spot. Palmy erupted however in the 72nd minute when the impressive PATON cut in from the right and left McEwan helpless with a left footed missile from the edge of the box. This was a trully magnificent goal worthy of winning any match. And so it proved to be as Clyde scored a rather soft consolation goal five minutes from the end when a MILLEN shot cannoned off Anderson and landed behind Goram. Clyde sniffed an equaliser and forced Queens back in the last few minutes. Queens however nearly made it three when a delightful run and shot by Lyle just sneaked over the bar. In all a well deserved win for Queens but JC must be concerned at our poor finishing.


TEAMS

QUEENS : Goram,Atkinson,Anderson,Allan,Aitken,Paton,Gray,Bowey,O'Connor,
Weatherson,McAlpine. Subs Lyle,O'Neill,Crawford,McLaughlan,Scott.

CLYDE: McEwan,Mensing,Potter,Smith,Kane,Jack,Millen,Fraser,Keogh,Falconer,
Dunn. Subs: Convery,Kane,Hinds,Mclay,Haliwell.


Sponsors MAN OF THE MATCH - STEVE BOWEY

Dukes MAN OF THE MATCH - STEVE BOWEY closely followed by DEREK ALLEN