A reminder to all that we face Falkirk at Palmerston on Saturday with a 3pm kick off. This is the rearrangement of the match previously abandoned after 20 minutes in high winds in December.
Both sides have improved their fortunes significantly since the original meeting and this clash now sees the two most “in form” teams in the division meet. Falkirk bring an unbeaten run of 11 games to Palmerston and with 18 points from their last 8 matches they top the division`s Form Table. The transfer window these days always seems to see the `Bairns` involved in selling a young player to a club down South and the recent January window was no exception with Jay Fulton, son of former Hearts star Stevie Fulton, moving on to Swansea City for a reported six figure fee. However, they will be pleased that other young prospects such as Conor McGrandles and Stephen Kingsley remained at the Falkirk Stadium whilst two more young prospects arrived inwards on loans, Joe Chalmers from Celtic and Mark Beck from Carlisle United. Possibly the best piece of business they did though was ensuring Mark Millar remains on loan from Dundee United for the rest of the season. That his return to the club saw the beginning of their long unbeaten run is almost certainly no coincidence.
Queens too though are a much tougher prospect than we were in mid-December. Back then we were sitting in 8th spot and looking over our shoulders at Cowdenbeath a little but a run of five wins and only one defeat in eight league games sees us just a single point worse off than Falkirk over the period and better than everyone else. More importantly the run has seen a climb of four places up the table and into the last of the playoff positions. Indeed but for the short handed draw with Morton we would be even closer to the top sides. Queens lost nobody from the first team squad as the window closed last week but recently added Motherwell striker Bob McHugh who finally made his debut at Livingston last weekend and played a big part in the winning goal scored by Derek Lyle.
Jim McIntyre currently has player availability issues to deal with as captain Chris Higgins and top scorer Iain Russell both remain suspended for their red cards at Cappielow whilst on loan goalkeeper Zander Clark and experienced utility man Ryan McGuffie have been out with injury. There are other injuries being carried within the squad too but one positive this week was Derek Young coming through a Reserve match without a problem following his toe operation at the end of November. He will surely return to first team contention imminently.
With both teams favouring attacking football on a surface conducive to quick passing and movement it ought to be a good contest.