This weekend Queens visit our old rivals Alloa Athletic for the last time this season. The Wasps were promoted alongside us from Division Two last year and, although they finished a long way behind in the table, they were always difficult opponents head to head and were the only team to register a win over us before the League was actually clinched. This season, after a fairly dull early season 0-0 draw, it has been a different story with two comfortable Queens victories, 3-0 at Recreation Park and 3-1 at Palmerston. That win in Alloa, and the 2-1 win at the end of last season though were unusual results for us at a ground where we have a traditionally poor record. Jim McIntyre`s side will be looking to make it a hat-trick of wins on the bounce.
Under Paul Hartley Alloa started the season well, being as difficult to beat as they were last season, but gradually the step up seemed to catch up with them and after some heavy defeats Hartley resigned his position. Former Dundee manager Barry Smith has taken over at the helm and steadied the ship a little. Never the less they come into this game with just one win in their last eleven league games and that came against bottom of the table Morton.
In contrast Queens form has been much better in recent months. We have not lost to a team outside the top three at the time since Dumbarton won at Palmerston back in September. Those two 1-0 penalty kick defeats to Dundee and Falkirk at the end of February derailed any imminent thoughts of a late title challenge but four points from six since have put us back into the top four and an end of season promotion playoff remains a legitimate target.
There are a couple of familiar faces in the Alloa squad, most obviously Stephen Simmons who had two spells with Queens and was captain of the squad relegated from Division One under Gus MacPherson in 2012. Another former Queens player is Darren Young who played a couple of games as a Trialist for us under Kenny Brannigan but failed to win a permanent deal after picking up an injury. His brother Derek though is a current Queens player, making his own way back from injury at the moment.
Pending confirmation of the fitness of Stephen McKenna, who has missed the last three games, Jim McIntyre should otherwise have a near enough full squad to choose from. Michael Paton returned to the bench last week following a hamstring problem and will presumably be available to start this week whilst another week should have helped Derek Young move closer towards full fitness.
Lets hope for another good result and performance to keep the undoubtedly large travelling support happy.