Last minute joy turned to disappointment as The Wee Spiders scored what they thought would be the winner in the 87th minute only to see Hibs equalise two minutes later to draw a pulsating CAS Elite League game in the wind and rain yesterday at Lochinch.
Hibernian won the toss and chose to shoot with the wind first half.
As often in Under 18s matches the pace at the start was frantic with both sides joisting for possession.
The first real action occurred in the second minute when Hibs’ Dean Clelland broke through the Queen’s defence, and was upended before he could get his shot away. The resultant free-kick deflected for a corner which the young Spiders keeper, Rory Campbell, punched away
The game continued in the very strong breeze with Queen’s moving the ball about well in midfield and Hibs sitting back to counteract the wee Spiders passing and moving.
In the 10th minute Hibs’ Rory Whittaker broke through, with Rory Campbell quick off his line to smother the ball.
20 minutes in, Connor Falls stepped onto a cut back from the left wing to hit the ball into the side netting.
In the 34th minute Godspower Oguama had a shot from 18 yards out which was comformably dealt with by the Hibees’ keeper.
Half-time: Queen’s Park 0 Hibernian 0
Just when you thought the weather could not get any worse, heavy rain greeted the players for the second half.
Eight minutes into the second half Queen’s opened the scoring. Aiden McGinlay raced from midfield beating two defenders before playing the ball through to Connor Falls who slotted the ball into the far corner of the net. A superbly constructed and executed goal.
Both teams bravely battled the elements with Queen’s finding it difficult to measure passes going forward with the very strong wind behind them. Both sides, with their pace of closing down, were cancelling each other out with little build up play from either side.
Hibernian drew level in the 63rd minute when Joseph McGrath was blocked inside the penalty box. Dean Clelland slotted the penalty kick into the top right-hand corner of the net
Just when it looked like the game would finish all square, in the 87th minute, Queen’s took the lead. From inside the Hibs box, Matthew Murray-Smith knocked the ball back to Sam Maclachlan who fired the ball through a crowded box into the far corner of the net.
The game wasn’t finished yet. Two minutes later Hibs equalised. The Edinburgh side attacked down the left and a cross was delivered into the Queen’s box for Rory Whittaker to slot home from 15 yards out.
Full-time: Queen’s Park 2 Hibernian 2
Today’s draw leaved the Wee Spiders in 6th position, after 17 games, in CAS Under 18 league with Hibernian top of the league with 42 points from 19 games.
See all the results and league positions for all CAS games on the SFA website – HERE.
Queen’s Park: Rory Campbell, Leo Clark, Jaden Riddell, James Reid, Leo Fisher, William Thomson, Sam Maclachlan, Aiden McGinlay, Godspower Oguama, Cole Goldie, Connor Falls.
Subs: Sam Gibson, Kyle Murray, Kai Williamson, Nathan Lees, Finn Coyle Morrow, Kyle Rodger, Matthew Murray-Smith.
Hibernian: Ryan Mallon, Rory Whittaker, Owen Calder, Joseph McGrath, Zach Bruce, Dean Clelland, Adam Buckley, Josh McDonald, Jaime McMurdo, Luke Davidson, Lewis McNeil.
Subs: Ellis McGurk, Logan Jimenez, Harry Olsson, Callum Macdonald.
