Our B team travelled to Gayfield Park yesterday to play Dundee Reserves knowing that a win would put them in pole position to win the Reserve League with only one game to go after this one.
Gayfield was living up to its reputation for ‘a bit of a breeze’ with a 40 mph gale blowing straight down the pitch. Combine that with very cold temperatures, it was going to be a test of mettle as well as footballing skills for both sides.
Queen’s won the toss and chose to switch ends and shoot with the wind.
The opening 15 minutes both sides struggled with the wind. Any forward pass by the Wee Spiders was caught by the wind and inevitably ended up crossing the bye-line. Similarly, the Dundee boys found any pass off the ground was basically returned to them by the gale.
Queen’s slowly began to adapt to the conditions and in the 9th minute, Josiah Sowa had a great run down the left, beating four Dundee defenders before being defeated by the wind, as it carried the ball over the bye-line.
In the 17th minute Joseph Smith broke down the right wing, crossed the ball to the edge of the Dundee box for Jamie Bradley to shoot. Unfortunately, Jamie’s shot was high over the bar.
The game continued with Dundee basically camping at the edge of their box, unable to move the ball against the constant wind facing them. Queen’s moved the ball around the pitch looking for gaps, but more often than not the wind caught any passes resulting in the ball going out of play.
In the 38th minute the Wee Spiders opened the scoring. Aiden McGinlay was brought down 22 yards out from the Dundee goal. Jamie Bradley stepped up and fired an unstoppable shot across the keeper in the far corner of the net.
Just before half-time Aidan McGinlay put Queen’s two up. Aiden intercepted a square pass at the edge of the Dundee box, side-stepped the advancing keeper, and knocked the ball high into the empty net.
Half-time: Dundee Reserves 0 Queen’s Park B 2
The unrelenting wind did not ease up for the second half. This time it was Queen’s back deep inside their half with Dundee pushing forward.
Dundee pulled a goal back in the 62nd minute. From a free kick wide right, the ball was played into the Queen’s six yard box where Dundee’s Louis Gray headed home.
That goal gave Dundee hope, and they pummelled the Queen’s defence looking for the equaliser. But the young Spiders stood tall, in what were really atrocious conditions for football, and saw the game out to win the match 2-1.
Full-time: Dundee Reserves 1 Queen’s Park B 2
The win today means Queen’s final game of the Reserve League , against Livingston, has a cup final feel to it. If either side win they win the league. However with the Wee spiders having a one point advantage over Livingston, as long as they don’t lose the title is Queen’s for a second year running.
The date and venue for the game against Livingston is still to be confirmed.
Dundee Reserves: Lewis McKelvie, Ashton Leiper, Chase Scott, Wallace Baird, David Cabrelli, Tobias Davies-Browne, Ross Clark, Lewis Lorimer, Rayan Mohammed, Finlay Allan, Jamie Richardson.
Subs: Warren Lyall, Michael Hunter, Louis Gray, Josh Mitchell, Sonny Paterson, Aaron Griffon Flood.
Queen’s Park B: Zach Balfour, Joseph Smith, Magnus MacKenzie, Darryl Carrick, Jay McGarva, Michael Collie, Aiden McGinlay, Jamie Bradley, Timam Scott, Ross Mclean, Josiah Sowa.
Subs: Rory Campbell, Leo Fisher, Connor Falls, Godspower Oguama, Sam Maclaghlan, Jaden Riddell.
SPFL Reserve League Table
