Queen’s Park 2 Annan 0 – Fowler at the double

QUEEN’S PARK opened the Sean Crighton head coach era with a 2-0 win over Annan Athletic at The city Stadium.

A second-half double from substitute Josh Fowler, on his Spiders debut, settled a positive outing for the new-look side.

Five of the summer signings started with only Fowler missing out on the first XI – but he made a telling contribution off the bench.

Two almost combined for an early opener after two minutes. A wickedly swerving pass from Carlo Pignatiello on the right found Michael Ruth but his lay off to Roddy MacGregor couldn’t bring a shot at goal.

The next attack did though when another brilliant delivery, from Matty Shiels on the left side, found Ruth and a diving header crept inside the post on the stroke of three minutes, only for the linesman to flag offside.

There was a sharp intake of breath when Euan Murray went down challenging for a high ball on 15 minutes – but the newly appointed captain was fine to continue and held off Tommy Goss and blocked his shot three minutes later.

Carlo Pignatiello fired a high shot that was well held by Gio Clarke but at the opposite end Callum Ferrie went low – and conceded a penalty. Charlie Fox’s miscued header allowed Tommy Goss to pick out the run of Aidan Smith. Ferrie dived low at the striker’s feet and claimed to get a touch, but ref Gary Hanvidge pointed to the spot.

Goss stroked the spot-kick low to Ferrie’s left – and like he did one famous time back in February, the Spiders No1 was down low to save.

Pignatiello was roving forward from his spot on the right of the defence and a neat cut-back was aching to be slammed into the Letherby Drive net on the half hour, but there were no takers for the home side.

In terms of a work-out this was a physical test for Sean Crighton’s side but one with experience at the centre in player-manager Wullie Gibson and the well-travelled Paul McGowan.

Again Pignatiello tested the Annan rearguard ten minutes from the break to tee up Seb Drozd but the returning forward’s shot landed in the Lana Del Rey coach compound.

His next strike a minute later was closer. Much closer.

He spun Gibson in midfield and stepped forward, lashing a decent drive just wide of Clarke’s post.

Roddy MacGregor was booked after 38 minutes for a pull on Smith after slipping in midfield, then there was a lengthy delay as Pignatiello and Euan Deveney both needed treatment after colliding just outside the dressing rooms.

It was the first foray onto the pitch for new physio Jorge Pismante but the impressive new signing from Dumbarton was able to return with a minute of the first 45 to play.

That was long enough for him to craft the final chance of the half, skipping to the by-line and lifting a pass to Drozd to take on the volley but Clarke held on.

It would prove to be the forward’s last act as he was replaced at the interval – one of five changes by Sean Crighton.

Timam Scott was introduced and picked up where he left off last season, running at left-backs.

Under-19s defender Cole Burke was also added on the right, and impressed as Pignatiello moved forward into central midfield. After an hour Sean Crighton made more, adding Michael Collie and Tyreece McDonnell in, but by that stage Queen’s Park were ahead.

Scott was toppled inside the box by Majid Suleyman and Josh Fowler marked his debut off the bench with a goal from the spot.

Victor Emodi was next in the book for a foul on McDonnell and only a last-ditch tackle from Aidan McGinlay stopped the same player threatening at the other end.

A flowing move from Pignatiello to Scott led to Cole Burke dancing into the box but his cut-back was nipped off the toe of Fowler and cleared.

There was no stealing possession when he gathered the ball in the 77th minute though. Annan had used their full quota of subs and were forced down to 10 men through injury when Pignatiello stepped forward and played left to Tyreece McDonnell. He combined with his fellow substitute and picked out the former Beith striker on the right side of the penalty box. 

Fowler took a touch before firing low across the keeper for his second of the evening rounding off a positive first match in charge for Sean Crighton.

The scoreline could have been greater too – Charlie Fox had a header into the top corner saved, McDonnell also fired at Clarke when clean through and only a despairing defensive lunge denied Timam Scott in the closing stages of an enjoyable evening back at The city Stadium.

QUEEN’S PARK: Ferrie, Murray (Fieldson 46), Fox, Longridge (Collie 60), MacGregor (McDonnell 60), Ruth (Burke 46), Connolly (Scott 46), Pignatiello, Bradley (McGinlay 46), Shiels, Drozd (Fowler 46).