By The Spider
September 1 2004

Tuesday, 31st August, 2004 Forfar Athletic 1 Queen’s Park 1 (2-2 a.e.t.) (Forfar win 4-3 on penalties) Bells Challenge Cup – 2nd Round (picture by qpfc.com) Ally Graham was first a saint, and then a sinner, as his last minute extra time equaliser gave Queen's false hope.

New coach Billy Stark will have learned a lot about his players’ strength of character during the last few days, and it should be said now that finishing in the top half of the league this season is most definitely a realistic target to aim for. Whether Queen’s have the firepower up front to challenge for promotion is debatable, but hopefully the overall standard of play will be more entertaining than much of what was endured during the reign of his predecessor.

The starting line up was as widely predicted with Damiano Agostini and Martin Bonnar coming in for the suspended Gavin Rushford & Ross Clark. Stuart Kettlewell kept his place in the centre of midfield instead of the injured Paul Harvey.

Forfar started brightly and King sliced wide from long range in the very first minute as the home side looked to take an early lead. Stuart Kettlewell had Queen’s first opportunity when he sent a header narrowly wide from long range McCallum free kick three minutes later.

However Forfar made the breakthrough they were looking for just a minute later when Mark Booth netted from point blank range from a cut back from Stein with Stevie Reilly again badly at fault for allowing the cross to come over in the first place.

McLune was booked for deliberate hand-ball in the 8^th minute, and then Brian Blair sent a low drive narrowly past. Queen’s equalised in the 19^th minute with the home ‘keeper looking badly at fault by dropping a high ball onto the head of Frankie Carroll who reacted quickly to gleefully smack the ball into the empty net.

Encouraged by this, Queen’s enjoyed a good spell of dominance as Forfar looked rattled, and Alan Trouten sliced narrowly wide from close range.

Forrest headed wide from a corner before Shaun Molloy saw his 35 yard effort saved at second attempt by Brown.

Tosh should have regained the lead for Forfar in the 34^th minute, but he took a fresh air swipe right in front of goal before hooking his second effort wide. A minute later the lively Alan Trouten fed off Frankie Carroll only to pull another shot narrowly wide.

Stein sliced wide from well out before being deservedly booked for crude challenge from behind on Frankie Carroll right on the touchline in front of the main stand.

Just before half time some great wing play from Alan Trouten ended with his low cross nearly being deflected in by former Spider David King, but Brown instinctively raised his hands to divert the ball for a corner

Shortly after the interval an Ally Graham header from a corner hit the top of the Forfar crossbar on its way over, before Brian Blair again came close when he hit the side netting with a shot on the turn

Right on the hour mark McLune shot narrowly wide after an indirect free kick had been touched to him, and then David Crawford made a good save from a low Tosh shot across the face of his goal.

Frankie Carroll forced his way between two defenders in the 73^rd minute, but Brown was able to punch away the striker’s fiercely struck drive.

A minute later, Tosh sent a low drive wide before Frankie Carroll was quickly onto a long clearance from Sinclair, but his left foot first timer over Brown went inches past the far post. Forfar were piling on the pressure as Queen’s began to tire badly, and a Lunan drive came back off base of Crawford’s right hand post although the Queen’s ‘keeper may have got a touch first.

Brian Blair then pulled a low shot wide before a McLune shot on the turn went inches wide, and then David Crawford made a partial save from Tosh with Shaun Molloy coming to his rescue by booting the ball clear before it could cross the line.

So, like the previous tie two years ago, it was into extra time. Bryan Felvus had a half chance for Queen’s but he sliced wide from close range. It was a costly miss as Forfar regained the lead in the 100^th minute when Paul Tosh side-footed the ball home from close range from Rattray cross.

A minute later Shaun Molloy was booked for a late challenge on McLune, and soon afterwards he was joined by Ally Graham and then by Brian Blair who were both cautioned by the dreadfully inconsistent Alan Freeman for talking out of turn.

Ally Graham sent a left foot shot over the bar after chesting ball down for himself, and the Frankie Carroll headed wide of the near post. Queen’s were now throwing caution to the winds, and only some great defending and some wayward Forfar passes prevented the home side from putting the tie beyond doubt.

With two minutes remaining, a Bryan Felvus shot rebounded off the ‘keeper, but then Queen’s got yet another late goal when Ally Graham headed downwards from a David McCallum inswinging right wing cross to force the ball over the line. Bryan Felvus then tried to steal the tie, but his 25 yarder was easily saved by Brown.

And so, again, Queen’s were involved in another penalty shoot-out.

Stuart Kettlewell saw the first effort saved low to the ‘keeper’s right by Brown, and this was followed by conversions from Tosh, Alan Trouten, McLune, Brian Blair, Forrest, David McCallum & Booth before Ally Graham send the ball out of the ground and Queen’s out of the Challenge Cup. It was a strange penalty to say the least as the big man hit it with his right foot, instead of his favoured left, and the angle at which he was leaning back suggested that this was not a natural way for him to take it. It would all have been academic anyway had Forfar gone on to score with their final kick.

This Saturday Queen’s face an equally stern test at Ochilview against a Stenhousemuir side who have been scoring for fun since the opening day encounter at the end of July. However, whilst Harvey and now Reilly may be doubtful through injury, the return of Clark and Rushford should negate those losses to give Queen’s every confidence of being able to take something from the game.

ENTERTAINMENT VALUE :  3/5

STAR SPIDER(S) :  Alan Trouten (made several great runs down the right flank)

QUEEN’S PARK :  David Crawford, Alan Trouten, David McCallum, Damiano Agostini, Stevie Reilly (Richard Sinclair – 50), Shaun Molloy, Martin Bonnar (Bryan Felvus – 77), Stuart Kettlewell, Ally Graham, Frankie Carroll, Brian Blair

Subs (not used) :  Stevie McGovern (G/K), David Weatherston, Tony Quinn

Scorer(s) : Carroll (19), Graham (119)

Booked : Molloy (101 – late challenge), Graham (106 – dissent), Blair (108 – dissent)

FORFAR ATHLETIC : Michael Brown, Alan Rattray, David Lowing, Eddie Forrest, David King, David McLune, Mark Booth, Paul Lunan, Paul Tosh, Mathu King (Neil Clark – 73), Jay Stein (Martin Maher – 84)

Subs (not used) :  Neal Ferrie (G/K), David Dunn, Dougie Cameron

Scorer(s) :   Booth (5), Tosh (100)

Booked : McLune (8- deliberate hand-ball), Stein (39 – tackle from behind)

REFEREE : Alan Freeland *  (* = inept, ** = poor, *** = mediocre, **** = good, ***** = excellent)