|
.
Well the 2009/10 season ended for Queens with a
0-0 draw at Kirkcaldy against Raith Rovers followed a few days later with the last game up at Firhill v Partick Thistle. It
was the QOS fans fancy dress day and the New Bazaar Doonhamers were all dressed up to the theme of "Kellys Heroes".
As for the game it ended 1-0 to Thistle thanks to an injury time strike from Doolan. So we ended up 4th in the league with
our highest points total since we were promoted to Div 1 back in 2002.
10/6/10.
Since my last update the weather has again played havoc with
the football fixtures. On a positive note though,the 5 Scottish Ski centres are all having a fantastic season and it looks
like it is going to continue. Since the two Dunfermline postponements Queens played a friendly against a young Celtic side
at Palmerston but lost 4-1. The following week it was back to league business when our bogey team Morton came to Palmerston
and yet again went away with all 3 points in a 2-1 victory. Queens were very poor in that game especially in the first half
but the midweek fixture at home to Ayr Utd saw us back to winning form with a comfortable 3-0 win. It was good to see ex Queens
favourite Steve Bowey back at Palmerston playing for the visitors.
Last Friday the pitch at Inverness was unplayable
but the home team assured us it would be fine for the Saturday as the undersoil heating was on. We left Palmerston with the
travel club at 7am and got to Aviemore when the Referee called the game off at 11am. We had a few refreshments in the Cairngorm
Hotel then it was back down the road. This Saturdays game at Airdrie must also be in doubt with the weather forecast being
for more snow and frosts.
I cant beleive that QOS have
played 5 games since I last updated this site. We have lost at home to Champions Inverness but got back to winning ways 2
days later with a 1-0 win at Airdrie Utd thanks to a late Willie McLaren strike. We than had a further 3 home games where
we beat Raith Rovers 3-0, then Ross County 1-0 and on Saturday a last minute goal from Davie Weatherston gave us a 2-2 draw
against bottom of the table Airdrie Utd.
The weather has been decent these last few weeks and things are starting
to grow in the garden and there is also still good skiing on offer at Cairngorm.
For the second match in a row Queens concede a late
goal in stoppage time turning victory into a draw. At Dingwall they had taken the lead through Paul Burns, this was against
the run of play after Jordan McMillan had been sent off for a second booking but County levelled at the end to make the final
score 1-1.
After a full month on holiday I returned on Saturday and have had a quiet couple of
days with it being Easter weekend. Queens looked like picking up the 3 points at Cappielow on Saturday against Morton but
leading 3-2 going into stoppage time they conceded and it finished a draw. Hopes of winning the league all but gone now after
Inverness got a late winner in their 4-3 win over Raith Rovers.
Ross County away on Tuesday night but wont be going as
I am working.
Well its over a month since I last updated
this site and a lot has happened in that time.
We are just back from an excellent,if not tiring 3 week Canadian road
trip and I will be writing a full report on that with lots of pics over the next few weeks.
On the football front I missed
the 3 defeats that Queens suffered on the road at Inverness,Dunfermline and Ayr as well as the draw at Dundee and the home
victory over Dunfermline at Palmerston last Saturday while on holiday. In that time manager Gordon Chisholm has left to take
up the hot seat at Dundee and Kenny Brannigan is now in charge until the end of the season, Kenny has made a fine start with
the point at Dens and win over the Pars on Saturday ( our first home win against them since 1986). I now wonder if the 3 defeats
in a row were due to the fact that Chisholm had already been asked to take over at Dundee.
Last nights game at Airdrie
was yet another postponement due to a waterlogged pitch and heavy rain/snow.
Its been snowing all morning here in Dumfries
and the Scottish ski centres look set for a bumper Easter and there is a chance we might just see lift served sport all the
way through to June.
Its been an excellent winter at home for snowsports but a terrible one for football.....bring on
summer football is what I say !
On
the Racing front down at Helshaw Grange stables Nicky now has a stable of around 20 Horses under his care
at present. The new website is now up and running and looking good.
I have also taken a share in Cavendish Road who should
win a Hcp or two during the summer.
Check out the link below.
Last Saturday we set out with the travel club buses
for Dunfermline, it was a lovely sunny morning and although there had been an overnight frost we were not concerned as there
is undersoil heating at East End Park. We had just arrived when the news came through that the game was off as the pitch was
frozen. Back home a little earlier than usual. The game was then rearranged for Tuesday night but as I was working I could
not go but what happened next was unacceptable, the travel club were up there again when the game was called off for a second
time at short notice after being assured that the match was safe. Dunfermline Athletic have made some real blunders over the
last few weeks and seem to be getting away with it !
No game this weekend as we are out of the cup,so Gordon Chisholm
has arranged a friendly at Palmerston against a Celtic X1.
The cold wintery spell of weather has now been with us
for a month, there is a thaw started here now but the ground is still pretty frozen under a blanket of snow. I have made the
most of the weather by getting Craig out at home for a few ski lessons and also having a day up at Glenshee last Friday when
conditions were excellent. I was also up Criffel in deep snow last week when my TLS snowshoes came in real handy.
Pictures
from both days are on my smugmug website.
On the football front tommorows game up at Dingwall v Ross County has
been called off this morning because of the weather and the state of the victoria park pitch. When we meet leaders Dundee
at Palmerston next Saturday it will be a full month we have gone without a competitive game. The good news this week is that
Manager Gordon Chisholm will be staying at Palmerston for the time being as the vacant Kilmarnock Managers position went to
Jimmy Calderwood.
We have went from heavy rain and severe flooding to lots of snow and ice, we have
had temperatures dropping as low as -16.7c in some parts of Scotland and there has been chaos on the roads.
Queens had
to postpone the home league game v Raith Rovers at Palmerston because of a frozen pitch
We have had 2 away league games
played, we won 2-1 at Greenock v Morton and on Boxing day came away from Firhill after a 2-2 draw with Partick Thistle. The
game at Palmerston on 2nd Jan must be in doubt already because of the continuing cold spell.
I managed a days snowboarding
down at Yad Moss near Alston and Craig has been having a few ski lessons at home as well as getting out on his sledge.
All 5 Scottish centres are up and running over the Xmas/New Year holiday period.
Knocked out of the Scottish Cup before Xmas , thats twice in 2009 we have been
put out of this competition at the first attempt ! The game at Airdrie was as poor as I have seen Queens play in a very long
time and when they went 2-0 down they made no real effort to get back into it and suffered an embarrasing 4-0 loss. They had
to then get themselves sorted for the league visit from Dunfermline, the game rearranged due to the flooding the week before.
We played much better and had the right attitude in this game but despite taking the lead with a fine goal from Davie Weatherston
we found ourselves losing 2-1 to the Pars with ex Queens winger Willie Gibson netting the winner from the penalty spot. Some
poor refereeing cost us a point in my view.
On Saturday we got the chance to bounce back when Inverness Caley Thistle
were the visitors but this one ended 1-1. ICT lead at the interval despite Queens having the better of the game but a stunning
free kick from Bob Harris won us a point. This was a tough physical game with 3 players plus the ICT manager Terry Butcher
being sent off.
Next up is a trip to Greenock on Saturday to face Morton.
Rain,Rain and more Rain.....The last two weeks
have seen this region suffer from severe flooding. The River Nith has burst its banks onto the Whitesands and a lot of the
surrounding countryside has been covered in water with communities cut off,Greenhill,Heck and Hightae were particularly badly
hit.
The game at Palmerston on Saturday against Dunfermline was also called off and it has been rearranged for next Tuesday
night. This Saturday we hit the Scottish Cup trail once again with an unglamerous tie up at Airdrie.
On Guy Fawkes night we saw the arrival of Anya Elizabeth
Margaret McWilliam, a wee Sister for Craig. She arrived in the world at Cresswell Maternity Hospital,Dumfries at 15:12 weighing
in at 7lb 7oz.
On the football front Queens have had 3 wins and not conceded a goal since the game at Kirkcaldy.
We had a 3-0 home win over Airdrie then another home victory over Ross County (2-0) then on Saturday we went to Somerset park,Ayr
and a header from Derek Holmes gave us a 1-0 victory, this sets us up for a top of the table clash with Dundee at Dens park
next weekend.
On a beautiful sunny Autumn day up at Kirkcaldy Queens took
the field against last seasons second division champions Raith Rovers. We were confident of another victory following the
3-1 win at Inverness last week and for the first 75 minutes it looked as if we would certainly head back down the road with
at least a point. The home side were forced to make a few changes with injuries and in 78 minutes our defence failed to clear
the ball and it fell to on loan striker Russell (from Dundee Utd) and he finished to keep thepoints at Starks Park. We had
a few decent chances but ex Morton keeper David McGurn was in fine form to deny us a goal. Two home games coming up against
Airdrie Utd and Ross County where we have a chance to get back to winning ways.
What a difference a week makes, last Saturday we
turned in a terrible performance at home to Morton. We were 3-0 down and only two late goals made the scoreline less embarrasing.
Then on Saturday it was an early start for the long bus ride north to the highland capital to take on Inverness Caley Thistle.
Big Derek Holmes scored "the perfect hat trick" , left foot,right foot and a header as we ran out 3-1 winners. The
trip back down the road was a pleasant one.
25th Sept 2009.
Its been a very busy few weeks for us. We
had our cousins over from Canada and had a fine time showing them round Scotland, this included a few days in the highlands
where we took in the Ross County v QOS league match up at Dingwall. The result was not so good with Queens going down by 3
goals to 2.
Since then we have had a fine 2-0 win over big spending Dundee at Palmerston followed by a near full house
for the CIS cup match with Rangers, it was a great night under the Palmerston floodlights but despite creating the better
chances we lost out 2-1. Bob Harris scored a cracker of a goal for us at the end but it was too late to change the result.
Yesterday Queens were across the Forth in the Kingdom of Fife to play Dunfermline at East End Park,
in an astonishing 12 minutes before the interval 5 goals were scored, the good news for us being that we got 4 of them.
The final score ended up Dunfermline 1 QOS 4.
The team are playing well despite the squad being stretched to the maximum
with injuries, the worst being the leg break suffered by Stevie Tosh during the Rangers cup tie.
Next week we welcome
Morton to Palmerston.
Sat 29th August 2009
Queens
continued the recent run of good form and results with a convincing 2-0 win over Ayr Utd at Palmerston this afternoon. We
had lots of chances and it was ex Queens keeper Craig Samson that kept the score down with a string of fine saves.
We are off to Cartmel races tommorow....just hope the weather is not as bad as the forecast is predicting !
Wed 26th August 2009.
What a
great 4 days for QOS. On Saturday we beat old boss Ian McCalls Partick Thistle 1-0 at Palmerston thanks to a late goal from
sub Davie Weatherston then last night a double from the same player,including a last minute winner gave us a 2-1 victory in
the 2nd round of the CIS League cup.
This weekend we have a home league match against local rivals Ayr Utd.
Thursday 20th August.
Last
Saturday we went to Airdrie and we came away with a 1-1 draw. Queens played nowhere near as well as expected. Kean put us
ahead with a header but the home side levelled the match with 10 minutes to go.
On Tuesday evening Queens made the trip
across the Forth to face Dunfermline in the 2nd round of the Challenge cup and in an exciting game came away with a 2-1 victory
thanks to another headed goal from Keano and a fine injury time strike from Stevie Tosh.
Partick at home on Saturday
in the league.
Last week we spent a few days away, stayed at the MacDonald Inchyra Hotel near Falkirk and then
the Belleisle Hotel, Doonfoot near Ayr. Had a fine day at Blair Drummond Safari park and a lovely warm summers day at Culzean
Country park.
Sat 8th Aug 2009
After a 4-1 win over Queens Park at Hampden last Saturday we started our league campaign at Palmerston this afternoon
against Raith Rovers. Last years 2nd Div champions made it difficult for us and went away with a point following a 1-1
draw. Stevie Tosh was sent off in the first half and Rovers scored just before the interval, they then had a player red
carded in the 2nd half to even things up and after a lot of pressure Derek Holmes hit the leveller in the last minute
Sat 25th July 2009.
Queens made it through to the next round of the Alba cup at Palmerston with a 1-0 win over Livingston thanks to a tremendous
strike from Barry Wilson after only 9 minutes. This could well be Livis last ever match as they look certain to go into administration
this week.
I was not at the game as we were down at Dundrennan enjoying the Wickerman festival. The weather was fine and the music
excellent.
Thursday 2nd July
Had a fine days walking in the Lake district when 4 of us left Glenridding and climbed Helvellyn via Striding edge and
returning via Swiral edge and Greenside.
Pictures from the day are on the link below.
Sunday 19th July.
Queens won the Scottish Brewers cup at Annan with a 3-0 win over Newcastle Benfield.
Saturday 18th July.
Queens were held 1-1 by last seasons 3rd Div Champions Dumbarton on day 1 of the Annan tournament but went through to
the final after a 7-6 penalty shoot out win with David Hutton making a couple of fine saves.
In the other game host club Annan Athletic lost to Newcastle Benfield 1-0.
|
| Galabank. Home of Annan Athletic FC. |
|
| Barry Wilson strikes the opener for Queens. |
|
| David Hutton saving a penalty during the shootout. |
|
| David Hutton makes the winning save v Dumbarton. |
After beating Clyde hopes were high for another good performance in the final home
game of the season v Dunfermline, but it was not to be and we were well beaten by the Pars. The last game of the current campaign
saw Queens travel to Almondvale to play Livingston. Queens went two down within 10 mins on a rain soaked pitch but fought
back after the break to draw 2-2 thanks to a Tosh penalty and a fine strike from young defender Gerry McLaughlin.
QOS are ending the season in style, a week past
on Sunday they went to McDermid Park,Perth to take on league leaders St.Johnstone and came away with a 3-2 win courtesy of
two Stephen Dobbie strikes and a great injury time winner from Stewart Kean.
Then back at Palmerston on Saturday we saw a quite
brilliant display of goalscoring as Queens ran riot beating Clyde 7-1. Stephen Dobbie got 4 with singles from Kean,Tosh and
Harris. All the goals were top quality strikes. Stephen Dobbie will most likely be moving on to pastures new after the summer
but he has now scored 24 league goals this season which is quite some feat.
The 2-1 home defeat to Ross County was a real low point in the season for me but on
Saturday the team played really well and beat Partick Thistle 2-0 at Firhill. Goals from Dobbie and sub Tosh gave us victory
over 2nd placed Thistle and all but ended their chances of winning the league.
3-1 up with 2 minutes to go yesterday against Livingston at Palmerston and looking
good for 3 points....then we gift them 2 goals and we go away with just a point. Excellent goals from Wilson and Dobbie for
Queens but yet again our defending let us down.
Pictures from our recent North American road trip are on the links below.
We are just back from a great trip to Canada and the USA. Lots of pics and a trip
report to sort out now.
While we were away Queens had mixed fortunes, draws with Clyde and Morton and then
a great 3-2 midweek win over Dundee at Dens looked to have us in a fine position to climb up the table but in typical QOS
fashion we were brought back down to earth with a thump on Saturday with a 2-0 defeat away to bottom club Airdrie Utd.
Home to Livingston on Saturday so looking to get back to winning ways.
A cracking game of football at Palmerston on Saturday between Queens and league leaders
St.Johnstone.
We were 2-0 up with goals from Barry Wilson and a top quality finish from Stephen
Dobbie,but the visitors fought back to level before Paul Burns cracked home a cracking third goal for Queens. It looked like
we were about to end the Perth sides impressive unbeaten run when 3 minutes from the end we failed to clear the ball and it
broke to Derek Holmes who crashed it home past Lee Robinson.
In the end a draw was about fair but I felt we did not defend very well at the Saints
goals. Away to Clyde next.
It was great to get back to winning ways at Palmerston yesterday with a 4-0 win over
bottom club Airdrie Utd.
Queens took the lead after 35 minutes when Stephen Dobbie converted a penalty after
Paul Burns was brought down by the Airdrie keeper.The visitors were then reduced to 10 men before the interval when Kevin
MacDonald got a red card for a two footed tackle on Neil Scally.
After the break Queens really took control and scored a great goal when Bob Harris
headed home a perfect Jamie McQuilken cross from the left. Dobbie then slotted through the keepers legs for the 3rd before
sub David Weatherston finished the scoring with a low shot past the keeper. Stephen Dobbie was excellent today. Bring on the
league leaders St Johnstone next week.
After our great 2-0 win at Dunfermline we found ourselves without a game last weekend
as we were already out of the cup, this weekend we host bottom of the table Airdrie at Palmerston. We have not scored against
them so far this season in two attempts so heres hoping our strikers have their shooting boots on.
After the recent severe cold spell of weather we are all hoping that the Palmerston
pitch thaws out in time.
A 2-2 draw away to Morton might not sound like too bad a result but we were leading
until injury time when former Queens favourite Peter Weatherson netted his second of the game to level things.
Queens have also lost Gary Arbuckle for the rest of the season after he
ended up with a triple leg break following a challenge from Morton defender Dominic Shimmin.
Last Sat we were back on Scottish Cup duty with a trip to Falkirk. Conditions were
terrible with a strong wind and driving rain making it difficult for players and fans alike. We came in at half-time level
at 1-1 then Bob Harris fired us in front after the break with a superb free kick, but the home side struck 3 further goals
in the second period to run out worthy 4-2 winners.
No trips to Hampden for us this season.
The terrible run of form continued last Saturday when we
went down 1-0 at home to Dundee. The whole team is lacking confidence at present and we just dont look like scoring goals.
Fresh new faces are urgently required in the January transfer window to help ensure we maintain our 1st Division status for
next season.
Four defeats from our last 5 games since we thrashed Livi at Palmerston. We are leaking
goals at the back and until we sort that out we are going to continue to fall down the league.
Home to bottom of the table Clyde on Saturday so heres hoping we get back to winning
ways. 
We have now had 2 away games on the bounce, at Airdrie in the first of those the team
just did not perform and went down by 2 goals to nil but last Saturday at Dingwall the they got back to winning ways with
a 2-0 victory over Ross County at Victoria Park. The game was played in terrible conditions but goals from Dobbie and McGowan
gave us the 3 points. Our 3rd away game in succession is this weekend when we travel to Firhill to take on former manager
Ian McCalls Partick Thistle.
We are sitting proudly at the top of the table a point clear of St.Johnstone.
What a result last Saturday, our 6-1 victory over Livingston taking us to the top of the table
for the first time in 5 years.
A double for Steve Dobbie early on set us on our way before Davie Weatherston scored on the
stroke of half time, he scored his second and Queens 4th after the break before a brilliant Jamie McQuilken long range effort
and a Paul Burns strike made it 6. It was also good to see Sean O'Connor make his comeback after injury when he came on for
the final 10 minutes. Its international weekend next before 3 difficult away games come along at Airdrie,Ross County and Partick.
Its 4 games since I last wrote on here. After the cup defeat to Morton we met them
again the following Saturday at Cappielow on league business. The game ended 0-0 which was a bit disapointing as we dominated
for long spells. The following Saturday saw St.Johnstone visit Palmerston and it ended up in another draw, this time 2-2.
Big Jim Thomson scoring for both teams. We then went up to Westfield Stadium for the CIS cup 3rd round tie v Falkirk. We gave
them far too much respect in the first half and fell behind to an excellent strike from Neil McCann. In the 2nd period we
were much better and levelled through Stewart Kean before Falkirk got the winner from Steve Lovell, this goal should not have
stood as two players were well off-side.
On Saturday we travelled up to Broadwood to take on Clyde, the first half was a spoor
as I have seen in the first division for a long time but after the break Queens took control and ex Bully Wee player Gary
Arbuckle gave us the lead. Within 4 minutes we were two up when Stephen Dobbie poked the ball home. Craig Sives then had a
headed goal chalked off as Queens strolled to their first league win on the road this season.
Queens crashed out of the Alba Challenge cup on Sunday when Morton scored 2 second
half goals to ease into the semi-finals.
An injury hit Queens never played to anywhere near their best and the less said about
this poor match the better.
A chance for revenge comes on Saturday when Queens visit Greenock on league duty.
Queens picked up the 3 points last night at a rain soaked Palmerston against Ross
County with a late strike from new boy David Weatherston. It was not the eventful, action packed sort of game we had watched
on Saturday and Queens left it till the 87th minute to take the lead. County had a lot of the ball and played some nice
p[assing football without ever posing any real goal threat.
Craig Sives,on loan from Hearts slotted in at the back alongside Craig Barr in place
of the injured Jim Thomson and did really well. Although we got the points it was not without a cost as Sean O'Connor was
stretchered off with a nasy injury and Paul Burns also limped through the last 10 minutes as Queens had by then used all their
subs.
Another good crowd of over 2500 and I managed to count 27 County fans who would not
have the happiest of trips back up the A9 to Dingwall.
Morton next on Sunday in the Challenge Cup QF and Gordon Chisholms biggest problem
will be having enough fit players!
What an excellent game of football at Palmerston this afternoon. Queens certainly
didnt suffer a Danish hangover and were well worth the 3 points. After going a goal down with 14 minutes gone the lads got
stuck in and Craig Barr levelled before Stephen Dobbie scored a fine goal just before the interval following excellent work
from big Sean O'Connor.
Queens might well have scored another couple in the first period but for two excellent saves from
Rab Douglas in the Dundee goal.
In the second half we still looked strong and the result was put beyond doubt when Dobbie
scored the 3rd following a fine run and cross from David Weatherston.
Both Weatherston and our other new signing Tom Parrat
had fine debuts and fitted in well. This was a fine performance from Queens with no failures today.
I thought Jamie McQuilken
and Neil MacFarlane were excellent and Seans effort and workrate as well as what he was creating for others was outstanding.
Dobbs took his goals well but was not allowed the chance for a treble as he was replaced by Stewart Kean with 15 minutes to
go.Only downside today was seeing Jamie Adams going off injured, just hope it is nothing too serious.
A decent crowd again
today of 3646 and I cant wait for the visit of County on Wed night
Yesterday we played host to former Manager Ian McCalls Partick Thistle
and in front of a decent crowd of over 3200 we picked up our first 3 points of this league campaign with a 2-0 win. A Stevie
Tosh penalty after Paul Burns had been bundelled to the ground inside the box then a fine individual effort from Stephen Dobbie
gave us a 2-0 interval lead. Thistle had a lot of the ball in the second period but a couple of fine saves from young keeper
Cameron Bell kept them at bay.
We lost 2-1 at Dunfermline last weekend
after taking a first half lead and playing some excellent football,maybe the players minds were on our UEFA cup tie against
FC Nordsjaelland.
That match was in doubt up until 7pm because of heavy rain and water laying
on the pitch at Airdrie. There was terrible traffic congestion getting to the car parks and a lot of our fans missed the start
of the match which really should have been delayed to allow people in. It was a disaster for Queens as we fell behind within
2 minutes from a corner when the FCN striker had acres of space to volley home. We fought back well and levelled when Sean
O'Connor headed home a Jamie McQuilken free kick but another defensive lapse 4 minutes later saw the Danes score a second.We
fought hard in the second period and might have snatched a draw but the Danes might also have scored more. So we are off to
Farum in Denmark trailing FCN by 2 goals to 1 but the tie is far from dead.
Queens started the 2008/9 league campaign
at home to Airdrie Utd but had to settle for a point after a 0-0 draw. It was an uninspiring match and watched by a large
crowd of nearly 3000. Few real chances were created and Queens ended the match with 10 men when Jim Thomson was red carded
for pulling down an Airdrie striker who was heading in on goal. A disappointing start but it just goes to prove how hard this
league will be this season.
Following a 2-0 win over Queens Park
at Hampden in our final pre-season friendly it was onto the first round of the Challenge cup at Sheilfield Park,Berwick. Queens
ran out easy winners with doubles from O'Connor and Kean and a first goal for defender Craig Barr. Queens played some good
football and could well have had double figures. Next up its Airdrie at Palmerston on Saturday for the seasons first league
game.
On Saturday Owen Coyle brought his Burnley side to Palmerston and in a
good workout for both teams it ended in a 1-1 draw. The Clarets took the lead just before half time but Stewart Kean headed
home an equaliser after 83 mins . Queens created the better chances but in the end a draw was a fair result.
Queens began a series of pre-season friendlies with a 5-0 win over Annan
Athletic at Galabank on Saturday.
Dobbie scored twice with the other scorers being Tosh,Harris and new signing
Stewart Kean.
It has been announced that Queens will play their home UEFA Cup matches at
Airdrie Utds Excelsior Stadium as Palmerston only has 3500 seats.
The draw for the 2nd Qualifying round takes place on Aug 1st.
What a performance and what an effort from the lads on Saturday as they
gave Rangers a real fright in the Scottish Cup final. They came back from being 2 goals down at the interval with goals from
Stevie Tosh and Captain Jim Thomson and for a while the biggest shock in cup final history looked as though it would happen.
Kris Boyd came to the Glasgow sides rescue with just over 15 minutes to go with a powerful header to give his side a 3-2 victory.
|
