QUEENS LET SAINTS OUT OF JAIL

Superb- opening goal

Queens must be wondering how on earth they let this one slip. Here we were 2-0 up with only minutes left of normal time and incredibly St Johnstone clawed it back to 2-2. Questions will be asked of our defence and also why the referee allowed so much time to be added on. Queens dominated the early exchanges and but for a dramatic goal line clearance would have been a goal up early on. Queens physical style was disrupting Saints and it was no surprise when Queens went ahead with a stunning goal in 12 minutes. Mc Laughlan toremented the home defence on the left and squared the ball to Paton just inside the box who took it first time with his left peg and beat Maine all ends up at his near post. The goal was greeted with the usual crescendo of noise by the away support. Queens swarmed forward looking for more with Bowyer and O'Connor going close. O'Connor was causing havoc in the Saints rearguard with Mc Laughlan a constant menace. Meanwhile Thommo and Company were keeping the Saints attack on a tight rein with Goram not having much to do. As both team trooped off at half-time no one in the stadium would have complained if Queens had been at least three goals to the good.

Half-time Saints 0 Queens 1

Saints came out of the blocks in a determined mood and the visitors defence came under heavy pressure but with Thomson and Crawford outstanding,the visitors defence held firm. Queens were now lying deep but were dangerous on the break and in 73 minute stunned the Perth side with a second goal. McLaughlan again was the supplier with a superb cross from the left which was turned into the net by the alert Bowey. The injured O'Connor was replaced by Lyle shortly afterwards and the ex Partick man was very soon in action almost adding to Queens tally. As the game approached the last few minutes Queens looked quite comfortable and the vocal away support were already celebrating victory. There seemed no danger when Thomson seemed to have cleard a high ball but in a tremendous tussle in the Queens box when it seemed a Saints man had handled the ball,Parker Mc Cann were left in the clear facing Goram. It looked like Parker who eventually got a toe to the ball and it spun off the underside of the bar behind Goram to give what we all thought was a consoltaion goal for Saints. It was well into injury time when the game took another strange twist as Parker took on the Queens defence. The ball was swung over and Reilly headed the ball home at the near post. It was an incredible end to a match which Queens really should have won and Saints can consider themselves rather fortunate to escape with a draw. Saints did put Queens under some heavy pressure in the second half and one could possibly argue that they deserved a draw but to be honest up until those final crucial minutes the Perth side never lookled like scoring. However this result is an indication how far we have come as a team and remember St Johnstone are full-time. This was my first visit to Mc Diarmid Park and it is a magnificent stadium and the benchmark for all provincial clubs. The facilities including the training pitches look fantastic but unfortunately they couldn't provide enough match programmes for sale to the visiting support. Also the police and stewards seemed geared up to control about 20,000 old firm supporters which was a bit over the top. One steward even told me I was not allowed to STAND UP during the match.

It's not over until the fat lady sings !!!!