Queen's Park 1 v 1 Albion Rovers 
Scottish Cup 2nd round
4th January 2003
Queen's Park 1 v 1 Albion Rovers
Scottish Cup 2nd round
4th January 2003
Click above pics to enlarge
If only this scoreboard read 90 mins!
Attendance : 1117
Scorers ~ Queen’s Park : Whelan (62). Albion Rovers : Diack (2).
Does this result represent success, failure or something in-between? Depending upon individual viewpoints, it could actually be all three, but all things considered, to have another chance at progressing was probably a reasonable outcome from a match in which Rovers played second fiddle for long spells.
When Iain Diack raised his goal tally for the season to eight just 2 minutes after the start, the omens were good, but Rovers simply failed to press home the psychological advantage of the early strike and Queen’s were latterly well worth their equaliser.
Incidentally, the replay is scheduled for Cliftonhill on Tuesday night, but with the weather as it is - and likely to remain so - it would be a great surprise if it actually went ahead. We understand that Monday 13th would be the next date to be pencilled-in.
Ideal Start
Hampden’s vast empty terraces were almost still resounding to the referee’s first blast on the whistle when Rovers shocked the amateurs by taking the lead in their first attack. Chris Silvestro’s tenacity on the right wing allowed him just enough space for a low cross which was hammered into the net by Diack. What a start for Peter Hetherston’s men! However, although Rovers had plenty of the ball in midfield thereafter, it was Queen’s who were the more dangerous up front. In the 10th minute, John McCaig’s weak pass-back had Scott Shearer in big trouble, the big ‘keeper just managing to smother the ball on the edge of the box. Then a swerving corner from Jim Allan caused no end of trouble in the visitors’ area, the final clearance being effected with great difficulty. Allan was soon in the picture once again, but his 20-yard drive flashed the wrong side of a post.
At the other end, Jim Dick sent a 25-yarder well wide before a John Bradford shot was spilled by home ‘keeper Tony Mitchell who was relieved to see a colleague boot the ball behind for a corner. In 32 minutes, Bradford again shot for goal but Mitchell did well to touch the ball over the bar. Once more, the action moved to the other end where Shearer indulged in some fancy footwork to clear the danger - an activity not particularly recommended. Queen’s again threatened when Willie Martin’s cross landed nicely for Allan in front of goal. Fortunately for Rovers however, the midfielder sclaffed his shot high, wide and not so handsome.
With only a couple of minutes of the half remaining, there was one almighty stramash in front of Shearer’s goal. Umpteen players were involved and although Queen’s looked odds-on to score, it was Shearer who eventually emerged for the bottom of the pile clutching the ball.
Second Half
With referee Andrew Hunter (suffering from an accidental face knock) having been replaced at the interval by his senior assistant, the game developed into something hardly worthy of comment. Nevertheless, in the 52nd minute, a Peter Cormack miskick in midfield almost spelt disaster for Rovers as Queen’s raced goalwards in numbers, with only a determined back-tracking visiting defence saving the day at the last moment. In 62 minutes, Rovers withdrew veteran Kevin McAllister in favour of Jim Mercer - and seconds later Queen’s Park scored! It wasn’t Jim’s fault however. The goal came courtesy of a splendid long cross from the right to the back post where McCaig was unable to reach the ball before it was met by Johnny Whelan and despatched into the net at the far post beyond the despairing Shearer.
Escape
The amateurs, now rejuvenated, began to make good use of Hampden’s space and Rovers were a most unhappy lot at times as they were forced on to the back foot. Following Charles McLean replacing Jim Dick, Rovers had an escape when following a dropped-ball and an unnecessarily conceded throw-in, home substitute David Menelaws found Martin with a cross and the striker’s first-time flick cleared the crossbar by no more than a few inches.
As is now expected, Rovers finished the match strongly and they might well have grabbed the winner in 83 minutes when a McLean cross was missed by Bradford in the middle and by Diack at the back post. Having said that, the ball was travelling at a fair rate and the strikers could not be blamed.
So, a draw was achieved and the teams must now try again for the privilege of hosting either Hamilton Accies or East Fife in the Third Round.
Queen’s Park : Mitchell, Sinclair, Ferry, Moffat, Agostini, Fallon, Martin, Whelan, Dunning (Menelaws 68), Clark, Allan. Unused Subs : Taggart, Lappin, Kettlewell, Lamb.
Albion Rovers : Shearer, Paterson, Stirling, Smith, McCaig, Cormack, McAllister (Mercer 62), Silvestro, Bradford, Diack, Dick (McLean 73). Unused Subs : Weir, Duncan, Fahey
Referee : Andrew Hunter (Andrew Aird 46).
Man of the Match : Iain Diack
