Division Three: Forfar Athletic 0 Queen's Park 1

Mar 10 2010

QUEEN'S PARK secured their sixth away victory of the season to boost their play off hopes - but had lady luck to thank for their late winning goal.

Gardner Speirs men made the trip to Angus desperate to atone for Saturday's home defeat to Berwick Rangers.

But they did so knowing that they hadn't defeated the Loons yet this season - and that statistic didn't look as if it would improve after just 60 seconds.

That's how long it took for the hosts to carve out the first chance when Ross Campbell - son of Forfar boss Dick - found himself one-on-one with Mark McGeown after being played in by Ian Harty.

The good money would have been on the predatory Campbell to score, but he contrived to dink the ball straight at McGeown to the relief of the travelling Spiders support who had barely squeezed into Station Park by that point.

The scare acted as a wake-up call to Speirs' young side who took the game to their hosts and were unlucky when new recruit Paul Stewart saw a decent effort nestle in the side netting.

Forfar were next to threaten in 25 minutes when poor defensive play allowed Harty to break in but his shot came off the upright with the aid of a touch by McGeown.

Early in the second half Queen's should have been ahead. Forfar keeper Ally Brown was forced to clear a deflected corner and the ball fell to young Paul Gallagher who smashed his effort off the underside of the crossbar and the danger was cleared.

The contest swung from end to end, yet increasingly it appeared as if it would end goal less.

Queen's thought they had scored in 72 minutes but Martin McBride's header from a Stewart cross was brilliantly tipped over by Loons keeper Brown.

The winning goal came just three minutes later though and Queen's, who have endured their fair share of bad luck this season, had a rub of the green to thank for the manner in which Stewart found the net.

The midfielder's free-kick was swung into the box where home defender Paul Watson made a desperate attempt to head clear but only succeeded in looping the ball over the keeper and into the net.

Speirs' young guns closed the game out with the help of the experienced McGeown, who possibly had his best showing in a Queen's Park shirt since arriving last month.

A crucial three points which keeps Queen's hanging on in the race for a play-off spot.