Linlithgow Rose 1 Queen’s Park 3 – First in the hat

QUEEN’S PARK were the first winners of the Scottish Cup – and are first in the hat for this season’s fourth round draw.

The Spiders came back from a goal down at Lowland League Linlithgow to progress 3-1, thanks to headers from Euan Murray and Josh Fowler, either side of a Grant Savoury strike.

It was the Queen’s Park number 10’s first goal in 990 DAYS and contributed to his player of the match award from the watching BBC Scotland cameras.

They picked the tie, Sean Crighton had suggested, with one eye on a potential upset. And the Spiders head coach ensured there would be no quarter given by naming a full-strength team including returning Roddy MacGregor, for the trip to West Lothian.

The home support did fancy an upset too and packed MV Commercial Prestonfield on a chilly Friday night – standing five or six deep for the visit of the Championship side.

They got one with the opener before Queen’s class eventually told – although they had to work for it.

The visitors had the first chance after three minutes with MacGregor firing a Fowler lay-off well over and into the Spiders support on the grass verge behind the goal

Rose lifted their own home support four minutes later earning a series of corners from the left wing, and causing issues for Queen’s keeper Callum Ferrie. He pawed another wicked delivery out shortly afterwards but it was from that same side Rose claimed the opener, with a low drive from captain Connor McMullan driven beyond the keeper.

On 20 minutes the Spiders had a big shout for a penalty for handball, but ref Ryan Lee waved play on before awarding a free-kick for a foul on Louis Longridge. A pre-practised routine floated a ball to the backpost and a diving header from MacGregor threatened the top corner before being grasped by Cameron Binnie.

The Rose yelled for a spot-kick of their own as they countered but Henry Fieldson’s challenge on the goalscorer McMullan drew a shake of the head from the ref.

The Spiders then had another. Matty Shiels heading a Connolly header off the arms of Cameron Thomson in an even clearer case of handball but the corner awarded instead brought a goal anyway.

Swung in from Aidan Connolly, captain Euan Murray rose highest and glanced in his first for the club to level and ease the gradually growing tension in the Spiders ranks.

Sean Crighton later revealed he told his players to relax despite falling behind, and it was eventually all right on the night – though the Rose pushed the Spiders throughout the first half.

The sides exchanged chances shortly after the half-hour too. Louis Maguire blasted just wide from the edge of the area before a footrace between Greg Skinner and Josh Fowler almost let the former Beith striker in but Binnie backed up his defender to spare his blushes.>

After the break Queen’s Park kept their cool and moved into the lead just before the hour-mark.

A long shot from Louis Longridge spun up into the air, forcing the goalkeeper to be alert. Drozd challenged Binnie and with the ball knocked onto the crossbar Savoury followed up from close range to net a goal a long time in the waiting.

The Spiders extended their cushion with the second header of the night – and the season – coming from Josh Fowler. The striker ensured his name was on the scoresheet as it so often is by meeting Savoury’s cross for the third and final goal as Queen’s Park survived an early concession to seal a spot in round four of the Scottish Gas Scottish Cup.
The draw takes place on Sunday evening, live on BBC Scotland, conducted by Aiden McGeady.

QUEEN’S PARK: Ferrie, Pignatiello, Fieldson, Shiels, Murray, Longridge, MacGregor (McDonnell 77), Drozd (McLean 77), Savoury (Waugh 88), Connolly, Fowler.
Unused subs: Sliwinski, Carrick, Scott, Friel, Sowa, McGinlay.