Queen’s Park 1 Dunfermline Athletic 1

QUEEN’S PARK were picked off late by Dunfermline who denied the Spiders consecutive wins at The city Stadium.

A late header from Charlie Gilmour cancelled out Henry Fieldson’s first in the professional ranks for a share of the points.

For long spells, particularly in the first half Queen’s Park were the better side, and had chances in the second with Robbie Macgregor and captain Euan Murray both going close in the second.

The skipper was sidelined for the Pars equaliser, compounding the frustration of head coach Sean Crighton as another win was wrested from their grasp.

The Spiders started the game off strongly at the back, on a wet afternoon in Glasgow, with multiple defensive stops in the opening five minutes.

The first 15 minutes of the game was very stop-start with referee Iain Snedden picking up multiple infringements from both sides.

Spiders fans willed the official for a penalty just before the 20-minute mark when Grant Savoury went down inside the box, but the ref didn’t see anything wrong with the challenge and waved the game on.

Shortly after, the Spiders carved open a half chance after a brilliant bit of pressing from Josh Fowler and Tyrece McDonnell which led to the ball breaking for Savoury. However the playmaker was closed down before he could get the shot off.

Henry Fieldson thought he’d broken the deadlock after he was left open at the back post following a brilliant cross, but unfortunately his header found the arms of Billy Terrell as both teams remain deadlocked at 0-0.

Not long after his last chance though Fieldson’s header found the back of the net following a brilliant build-up from Queen’s Park’s full-backs. Carlo Pignatiello hit the by-line and a quick give and go with Roddy Macgregor and a delicate backheel into his path was clipped to the Englishman for a backpost header and his first ever goal.

As Spiders fans celebrated he leapt with joy in front of the delighted home support.

That gave Queen’s Park the half-time lead for only the fourth time this season, but they couldn’t see it out despite further second half chances.<

Captain Euan Murray ensured his former club were not given much chance to test Cal Ferrie and even Josh Fowler and McDonnell, defending from the front, ensured the Pars defence were never comfortable. 

The rain played a part in the match and conditions didn’t improve much for the second half with no changes for the Spiders. 

They came out firing, almost doubling their lead through a Roddy MacGregor shot which went narrowly wide just seconds after kick off.

Dunfermline changed shape and caused more issues than they had in the first, Cal Ferrie making his first save of the day after a long-range strike from Gilmour following a corner.

Queen’s thought they had doubled their lead through a well worked free kick routine from Aidan Connolly but MacGregor’s header was cleared off the line before Euan Murray sliding in couldn’t convert the rebound

The skipper needed treatment in the goalmouth, as did visiting keeper Terrell, but it was another instance at the opposite end which caused the Spiders’ to concede.

To that point they’d defended manfully.

Pignatiello’s last-ditch interception saved the Spiders after a quick counter from Dunfermline saw them two on one chasing the equaliser. He then showed his versatility on both ends with a brilliant run into the box but unfortunately no one was able to meet his cross to seal the win.

Murray earned his man of the match award and capped it with a sensational block to deny Barney Stewart after he’d rounded Ferrie. Murray slid off the pitch and, carrying the hamstring issue from last week’s defeat at Morton, was forced to stay off the pitch for treatment while Dunfermline took the set-piece.

From the resulting corner the Pars equalised through a Charlie Gilmour header to tie it up with less than 10 minutes to go – a goal that felt a bitter blow for all the Spiders’ efforts.

Queen’s Park: Ferrie, Fieldson, Murray (Friel 85), Longridge, MacGregor (McGinlay 85), Savoury (Drozd 70), Connolly, Pignatiello, Fowler, McDonnell (McLean 73), Shiels

Match report by Robbie McNair – Glasgow Clyde College