After a somewhat tentative start to the proceedings during which neither goalkeeper barely touched the ball, on seven minutes a neat attacking move by Queens involving Gavin Reilly, Iain Russell, and Michael Paton ended with Mark Millar testing visiting `keeper McGurn with a fierce drive from the edge of the area, with the `keeper reacting well to push the ball away for a corner. However the danger did not end there for the visitors as thirty-seconds later they fell behind. From the game`s opening set-piece Millar drilled a corner deep to the back post where the unmarked  Iain Russell was on hand to tap the ball home from 3-yards out. The goal was only Russell`s second of the current calendar year, but it gave Queens the important early breakthrough that they would have wanted from the game, and for the next twenty or so minutes, they were well in control.

 

McGurn has no chance as Russell knocks the ball into the net

Russell is congratulated

 

Minutes later Lewis Kidd`s cross was deflected for Queens second corner of the game, and when the ball was cleared to the edge of the area, Stephen McKenna went close to doubling the lead with a low shot with which curled only just wide of the far post, and as Queens continued to push forward, Millar again shot from distance but his attempt was always going wide of the target. The visitors were barely able to get out of their own half, and another attack from Queens that began with McKenna`s well driven pass being flicked on into the path of Paton, ended in disappointment when Paton shot high over the bar.

 

On eighteen minutes, Palmerston almost played host to what would have been the goal of the season. Iain Russell collected the ball just a few yards inside the Raith half, and after looking up and spotting `keeper McGurn a few yards from his line his audacious effort from all of 50-yards landed on the roof of the net as the `keeper struggled to get back into position. The visitors best chance of the half came minutes later when a slip by McKenna allowed a cross to come in from the right and Vaughan`s shot drew a fine save from Zander Clark.

 

As usual Queens were dangerous from set-pieces, and they went close to scoring again following their third corner of the game. Millar`s variety at corner kicks were clearly causing problems for the Raith defence, and when his delivery into the six-yard box was met by a powerful header from Kevin Holt, it seemed as though the ball was certain to find it`s way into the net, but the ball flashed inches wide of the far post. It was another really good chance for Queens to further increase their lead, and as so often happens in football when you fail to capitalise on the chances created, those missed opportunities come back to hurt you, and after exactly 20 minutes, that is what happened. A cross in from Conroy towards Nade appeared to hit the hand of the big French striker, but as the Queens defence began in vain to appeal for a free-kick, the ball fell nicely to Vaughan just inside the box and he crashed an unstoppable half-volley past Zander Clark to draw his side level.

Vaughan finishes well as he finds an empty spot in the net

 

 

Raith certainly took confidence from their equaliser, and prompted by Callachan in midfield, they started to gain the lions share of possession as Queens seemed to be a bit stunned by the fact that after dominating for large spells of the half, they found themselves pegged back. Although the visitors were controlling possession, they never really put the Queens defence under too much pressure as Dowie and McKenna looked quite solid. In fact McKenna`s ability to find a simple but effective pass when in possession proved to be a valuable asset on several occasions.

 

In central midfield, Mark Millar was having a decent game and after exchanging passes with Danny Carmichael, the former Falkirk man saw another shot from distance deflected for another Queens corner, although on this occasion the combined efforts of both Barr and McGurn cleared the danger for the visitors. When the sides met at Palmerston earlier in the season it was Gavin Reilly who made the breakthrough on that day,and on 35 minutes the striker had a really good chance to add to his season`s tally. After Ian McShane won the ball from a Raith throw-in he was able to slip the ball forward to find Paton in space on the right, and he in turn found Reilly inside the box and eight yards from goal. However after taking one touch to control the ball, he dragged his shot on the turn wide of the far upright. Moments later though it turned out to be right place, right time for the Queens striker as the hosts regained the lead. Kevin Holt and Michael Paton linked up well down the left and with the ball almost going out of play, Paton did very well to hook the ball back into the danger area and as players from both sides challenged for the ball, it broke loose to Gavin Reilly at the back post and he had the easiest of finishes to score his 14th goal of the season. 

Reilly is in the right place to tap the ball in 

Reilly thanks Paton for the assist

 

 

The whistle for the interval sounded five minutes later as Queens found themselves in the driving seat, and ahead at half-time for the first time in six games.

 

HALF-TIME  QUEENS  2-1 RAITH ROVERS

 

The home side began the second period on the front foot and just six minutes into the half, they passed up an excellent chance to go further ahead. Mark Millar`s precise and perfectly weighted pass sent Reilly racing clear and with only McGurn to beat, the striker hesitated slightly before attempting to place the ball past the advancing `keeper, and McGurn reacted well enough to parry the ball to safety. If you were a Queens fan watching on you might think `missed opportunity`, but if you were favouring Raith, then you would be thinking `really good save`. Either way the score remained unchanged. 

 

Although the game was moving from end to end, there wasn`t much in the way of goalmouth action at either end as quite often decent approach play was let down by either a poor decision or by a poor pass, and as a consequence the game rather stumbled along.

 

In a game of few, if any bad challenges, Raith`s Martin Scott was the first player to be cautioned for a `through the back` challenge on Russell, and as the pair continued to `discuss` the situation, it was clear that Scott thought that Russell was making something more of the challenge. Just past the hour mark, Queens made their first change when the tiring Reilly was replaced by the returning Derek Lyle, and moments later following another corner Holt - under strong pressure- could only guide a header wide of the near post. The aforementioned Martin Scott was extremely lucky not to have been given a second yellow card for a lunging challenge near the touchline with 20 minutes remaining, and in order to make sure his side were not further punished, Raith boss, Grant Murray, replaced the midfielder almost straight away.

 

Holt sees his header come off a defender and out for a corner

 

Visiting captain, Jason Thomson became the second player to be cautioned after his foul almost on the bye-line left Kevin Holt requiring attention before being able to play on. Although from the free-kick in a rather dangerous position, Queens wasted the opportunity to apply more pressure on the Raith defence as the ball in from Millar was easily defended. For a few moments the game threatened to turn ugly as Russell was knocked to the ground by the challenge of Nade and both players tangled, but officials and players were quickly involved to stop any problems arising.

 

Queens had a decent chance to increase their lead with 9 minutes left. A swift counter attack led by Carmichael saw them win another corner, and Millar`s delivery to the near post picked out the run of McKenna but he didn`t get as much on the ball as he would have liked, although McGurn spilled the ball away for a corner, which was eventually cleared by Barr for the visitors. There was a heart in mouth moment for the Queens supporters as Zander Clark came within inches of passing the ball directly to Nade in the final few minutes, but thankfully the ball just found it`s way to Dowie and what might have been a costly error was avoided. As the play switched to the other end, Russell did well to dig out a cross on the left, but Lyle was off target with his header from close to the penalty spot.

 

Tuesday night`s Ibrox hero, Aidan Smith came on to a rousing reception on 86 minutes when he replaced Iain Russell, but he wasn`t able to repeat his goal scoring feat from midweek. Queens final change came almost on the final whistle as Mark Millar was replaced by Jake Pickard, who was celebrating his 18th birthday,but unfortunately, there was to be no `Roy of the Rovers` moment for the youngster today, although I am pretty sure he will have enjoyed his birthday celebrations.

 

Sponsors gave their man-of-the-match award to Kevin Holt as Queens claimed three more valuable points.