Queens slipped to back to back league defeats as they were beaten one-nil by bottom of the table Alloa who in recording their first win of the season, left Queens still searching for their first three point haul of the campaign.
Following the loss against Ayr last weekend, we made two changes to the starting line-up with Michael Paton, and Darren Lyon - making his full debut - replacing Lewis Kidd, and the injured Gary Oliver, and `keeper Jack Leighfield returned to the matchday squad for the first time this season as we began in a 4-4-2 formation.
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Queens made a good start to the game and there promising early signs when Stephen Dobbie produced an early cross from the right that was blocked away for our first corner and although nothing came from that set-piece, from a free-kick moments later a cross from Michael Paton was almost met by the jump of Darren Brownlie but the ball just evaded the centre back`s head.
The visitors had been penned back for most of the early period of the game, but a swift counter attack down their right led by O`Hara,ended with his cross towards Thomson at the near post being blocked.That move seemed to give the away side some sense of belief as they grew in confidence, and led by the influential promptings of Trouten in midfield - who hardly mis-placed a pass - they slowly began to work their way back into the game and after a Taggart shot was blocked, Thomson wasn`t too far wide of the target as he let fly from 20-yards out midway through the half.
A foul on Connor Murray just a couple of yards outside the penalty area and to the right of goal presented a shooting opportunity, but with the angle not really favouring a right footed effort, Dobbie went for goal but his execution was well off and Parry in the Alloa goal wasn`t tested. Our next attack started with Kevin Holt and Faissal El Bakhtaoui exchanging passes down the left and when the ball fell kindly for Darren Lyon just inside the penalty area, he wasn`t able to catch his shot cleanly enough and it was charged down. Another promising break this time down the right saw Scott Mercer knock the ball down the line for Dobbie who exchanged passes with El Bakhtaoui before delivering an inviting cross towards the near post, but good defending by Deas conceded a corner, and it was from the resulting corner that Queens had what was probably their best opening of the half. Murray`s inswinging delivery was not really dealt with by Parry and when the ball dropped to Dobbie he reacted instinctively but couldn`t keep his close range half-volley on target.
On the half hour a header from Deas following a free-kick saw the visitors go close, but with both Lyon and Pybus enjoying a decent spell in the game, it was Queens who ended the half on top.
Stephen Dobbie looks to be steadily working his way back to full fitness and a lightning burst of pace took him clear of Taggart down the Queens left and at the end of his run he was able to dig out a cross that Paton - under pressure - couldn`t jump high enough to direct goalwards.
We had one final half chance to score our first first half goal in the league this season when El Bakhtaoui chased down a long hopeful punt up field from Murray and after he had forced an error he watched on as Dobbie drilled a powerful shot just wide. Referee Duncan produced a yellow card for Alloa`s Flannigan after he caught Lyon with a late challenge following a clash in midfield, and just seconds after the re-start, the official blew to end what had been a pretty tame opening first half.
HALF-TIME QUEENS 0-0 ALLOA ATHLETIC
Having not beaten Alloa in their previous five league games,at start of play Queens would have been hoping to correct that statistic and finally open their winning account for the season, but following the opening forty-five minutes it was very evident that improvement was certainly needed if a win was to be forthcoming. With the half just a few minutes old, we were forced into making an early substitution when Dan Pybus limped out of the game and was replaced by Lewis Kidd with the formation staying the same.
There was a slight increase in our tempo much like the opening period and once again that little bit of composure was missing when a fairly presentable chance came our way. After some promising approach play by Lewis Kidd, his cut back from the bye-line saw El Bakhtaoui rush his attempt and lift his left foot strike high over the crossbar from just about 10-yards out.
Queens were made to rue that miss some 8 minutes later when following a swift counter attack, the visitors took the lead, although once again the goal could have been prevented. With Queens attacking down the left a wrong choice of pass across the pitch was cut out and that immediately put us under pressure and before we could react a run down the Alloa left by Thomson eventually led to him delivering a precise low cross that was met on the half volley by Trouten who thumped the ball beyond Robby McCrorie from close range.
We made a second change when Jack Hamilton replaced Michael Paton with 62 minutes gone, and the young substitute - brought on to try to give us more of an aerial threat - got on the end of a well placed through ball from Dobbie, but he could only drag his low shot on the turn from the left hand side of the box, wide of the far post.
With the visitors content to sit deeper, Queens were completely dominating possession, but for all of that possession, Parry in the visitors goal had not had a save to make, and sadly for Queens that would go on to be the outcome as the game continued.
There have been so many times that Stephen Dobbie has come to Queens` rescue, and the striker went very close to doing so again when for the first time in the game he was able to twist and turn his way past four Alloa defenders, but he just lost control of the ball at the vital moment and his shot was blocked. A foul on Scott Mercer by O`Hara saw the games second yellow card, and the visitors came very close to putting the result beyond doubt when substitute Buchanan connected well with a cross from the left, but Robby McCrorie produced an excellent save,diving to his right to make a strong one-handed stop.
That save may well have been decisive for Queens had we had just a little bit of good fortune as with what was just about the last kick of the game, after picking up a loose ball 20-yards out El Bakhtaoui unleashed a ferocious shot that whistled just a few inches wide of the near post.
A crowd of just under 1300 witnessed yet another disappointing performance from Queens who now have just one league goal to show for their efforts so far this season, and have only claimed all three points at Palmerston just twice during this calendar year.