Queen’s Park 1 Arbroath 3 – Defeat at home

QUEEN’S PARK have two weeks to mull over a home defeat to Arbroath after the Red Lichties took all three points at The city Stadium.

Second half goals from Ross Callaghan, Findlay Marshall and Jack Wilkie put the visitors 3-0 ahead by the 72^nd minute and though Josh Fowler pulled one back for the Spiders it was not enough to muster a comeback.

Sean Crighton’s side have no game next weekend leaving a fortnight until the trip to Airdrie to work this loss out of their systems at the training base in Lochinch.

The head coach made one change to the team which took an opening day point from Raith Rovers last weekend with skipper Euan Murray returning to join Charlie Fox in central defence.

Seb Drozd started on the bench meaning Henry Fieldson  advanced to left midfield with Matthew Shiels on the left of the defence.

Josh Fowler partnered Michael Ruth up front in a 4-4-2 but the pair were frustrated by Arbroath’s experienced defence throughout the first half keeping the dangerous duo at bay.

Fowler had an audible penalty claim – not dissimilar to one last week that earned the Spiders the lead in Kirkcaldy – but none was forthcoming from referee Grant Irvine but the loose ball was sent goalwards by Aidan Connolly and tipped over by  Aidan McAdams.

At the corner MacGregor’s volley was struck off his own player as Queen’s pressed for an early advantage.

It took Arbroath 25 minutes to have their first effort of note – an Aaron Muirhead free-kick that skimmed the roof of the net after Charlie Fox was penalised on the edge of the area.

More would come, but rarely in the first half that Queen’s pressed and probed but could not find a way through – and McAdams was on form. If anyone looked like scoring, it was the home side.

A slick move up the left wing, full of one-touch pass and move play, saw Fowler advance and he teed up Henry Fieldson before McAdams smothered at his feet as he pulled the trigger.

The Red Lichties made an enforced change ten minutes from the interval with Ryan Flynn injured and replaced by Ross Callaghan, and the sub later scored – but his fellow midfielder Harry Cochrane was next to try his luck.

He took aim at Calum Ferrie’s top corner and was on target, but the Spiders No1 saw it, and held it.

In injury time at the end of the half, Connolly almost topped off his fine first half with a goal, a low drive blocked and spilled by McAdams. Having not scored last weekend Fowler was on to the loose ball and his cut-back was knocked out for a corner but still the breakthrough wouldn’t come for Queen’s Park.

A goal did come three minutes into the second half – but not for the Spiders.

Fox conceded a free-kick and was cautioned on the edge of the box and Ross Callaghan lashed the set-piece beyond Ferrie.

Matters didn’t improve and Arbroath capitalised on another defensive slip and Finlay Marshall added a quick-fire second from close range just two minutes later.

Mikey Ruth did his best to bring the Spiders back into the game, pulling a Roddy MacGregor pass out of the sky and firing low at the near-post in response – but McAdams kicked it clear.

Sean Crighton rang the changes, replacing Fox and Connolly with Seb Drozd and Timam Scott and they had the desired effect.

Scott won a free-kick almost identical to his penalty against Cove – but just outside the area. The free-kick was knocked clear though and Roddy Macgregor fired the loose ball over.

Josh Fowler forced a good save from McAdams with a shot on the spin but hopes of a comeback expired at the other end when ref Grant Irvine awarded a free-kik against Roddy Macgregor and Jack Wilkie’s strike slid clean through a clutch of players and beat Ferrie.

That took the sting out of the game but the Spiders continued to probe and seven minutes from the end Josh Fowler pulled one back with a strike off the post – his sixth competitive goal in six games.

It was almost a nervy injury time for Arbroath when Timam Scott hung a cross up to the backpost and Michael Ruth’s glancing header crept just the wrong side of the goalframe.

QUEEN’S PARK: Ferrie, Pignatiello, Murray, Fox (Drozd 58), Shiels, Connolly (Scott 58), Longridge (McDonnell 73), Macgregor, Fieldson, Ruth, Fowler.
Subs: Wills, Carrick, Waugh, McGinlay, Bradley, Burke.