Queen's Park 0 v 3 Albion Rovers 
Division 3
9th March 2002
Queen's Park 0 v 3 Albion Rovers
Division 3
9th March 2002
Attendance : 547
Scorers ~ Albion Rovers : McLean (10), Booth (67), Silvestro (77).
This was a vintage performance by Rovers; a performance which deservedly brought them three excellent goals and the same number of points to ensure that their promotion bid stayed well on track. Although it must be admitted that for the second time in just a few days, Queen’s were a poor lot, Rovers nevertheless thoroughly deserved the win which hoisted them to within a single point of the division’s runner-up spot.
Within three minutes, top scorer Charlie McLean showed that he was in the mood when he cut in from the right only to see his final lay-off intercepted by a home foot. Soon after, at the other end, a Colin Waldie header back to goalkeeper Chris Fahey was just fractionally short and it took a timely interception by Jordan Smith to clear the danger. The stadium electronic clock had just flipped over to indicate ten minutes when McLean took his season’s tally to twelve with a rasping drive from just inside the right of the area. A concerted attack looked to have been foiled, but Gerry McKenna’s through ball reached the striker in great position and he needed no second invitation to blast it into the net.
Rovers were turning the screw and in 16 minutes Mark Booth thundered in a mighty drive which home ‘keeper Graeme Smith did well to push round for a corner. Then Martin Harty cut in from the left, but his final attempt was just too neat and was simple for Smith to hold. There were 21 minutes showing when Queen’s displayed the first threat to Rovers’ goal, Fahey easily gathering a shot by Steve Canning. Five minutes later, Booth was out of luck when a slight overhit saw the ball go to the advancing ‘keeper, then Chris Silvestro sent in a bumper which had the venom taken out of it by its contact with the ground.
Towards the end of the first period, the Spiders at last began to show a little fight. Mark Gallagher saw his shot saved by Fahey who then did well to push away a low drive by Jamie Bruce. Almost on the whistle, Queen’s might have drawn level, but a strong Ross Jackson effort missed the junction of bar and post by about a yard.
On the restart, Silvestro fired over from 22 yards before a good Todd Lumsden header was held by Smith. Somewhat to the surprise of the visiting fans, McLean was withdrawn in 63 minutes to be replaced by Iain Diack, following which Fahey did well to touch a bouncing ball away from the head of Queen’s Alan Dunning and a Booth hook shot flew over the target. The strong-running midfielder had better luck moments later however when, released by an accurate pass by Harty, he strode on to beat Smith with a low shot.
Steve Hamilton seemed unlucky to receive a 73rd minute booking before the clinching goal arrived four minutes later. Silvestro, fouled just out side the area out on the left, took the free-kick himself and his low shot somehow got through the legs in the busy box to nestle in the net. That was that, and Rovers played out the rest of the time virtually toying with the dejected homesters.
Albion Rovers : Fahey, McKenna, Lumsden, Smith, Easton, Booth, Waldie, Hamilton (McKenzie 80), McLean (Diack 63), Harty (Rodden 89), Silvestro. Unused Subs : Tait, Shearer.
Queen’s Park : Smith, Quinn, McVey, Collins, Cunningham (Brown 70), Bruce, Jackson, Whelan, Gallagher (Gemmell 70), Canning, Dunning (Fisher 78). Unused Subs : Patterson, Mitchell.
Man of the Match : Stewart Easton
