Queen’s Park earned themselves a thoroughly deserved three points after six goals from the home side led to an entertaining afternoon at their adopted home of Firhill.
Laurie Ellis made two changes from his side’s Scottish Cup defeat to Kilmarnock last weekend with Michael Doyle and Grant Gillespie coming out of the team, replaced by Charlie Fox and Jack Thomson.
Falkirk manager Paul Sheerin also made two changes to his side’s Scottish Cup defeat to Raith Rovers last weekend with Paul Dixon and Craig McGuffie coming out of the team, replaced by MacKenzie Lemon and Declan McDaid.
Queen’s Park got off to a thunderous start and in the 1st,minute could have taken the lead when Bob McHugh won the ball from a throw in, he turned to his right and passed it to Connor Smith whose shot was deflected and resulted in Falkirk goalkeeper Patrick Martin having to tip it over the bar for a corner.
Two minutes later, the home side took the lead after excellent work down the right from Jake Davidson led to him finding Luca Connell outside the box and his shot was saved by Martin, but the rebound fell to Louis Longridge who blasted home for his 4th league goal of the season.
Falkirk tried to find a reply, and, in the 9th minute had a corner which was cleared by Queen’s Park which fell to Callumn Morrison whose half volley was comfortably saved by Calum Ferrie.
In the 14th minute, Queen’s Park produced a smart throw in when Thomas Robson cleverly threw the ball into the box which Luca Connell latched onto, but his shot was comfortably saved.
Queen’s continued to have control of the game and in the 18th minute there was good interchange from Liam Brown and Connor Smith, and it was Smith who blasted a shot which Martin saved again. The Falkirk keeper was having a busy afternoon.
A minute later, Luca Connell picked the ball up in the middle of the park and he managed to squeeze through two Falkirk players and curl a shot from 25 yards which went narrowly over the bar.
Queen’s Park continued to be comfortable during the half and in the 31st minute could have doubled their lead when a good passing move led to the influential Connell having a shot which Martin had to tip around the post.
The Spiders were passing the ball well and in the 33rd minute a flowing passing move led to Longridge hitting a shot which Martin saved. The rebound fell to McHugh who scuffed his shot to allow the keeper to comfortably save.
Two minutes later, Queen’s Park took a deserved two goal lead after their continuous pressure led to Liam Brown having a strike which hit off a Falkirk player and rolled into the keeper’s left hand bottom corner.
This was the last main action of the 1st half and Queen’s Park went into half time in total control whereas the away side had a lot of work to do.
The second half got underway, and it was Falkirk who got off to a quick start. In the 48th minute, Charlie Telfer’s good work down the right led to him feeding the ball back to sub-Aidan Keena whose effort from six yards out went wide of the post.
Two minutes later, Falkirk came even closer to getting back in the game when Callumn Morrison hit a shot with the outside of his boot and the ball crashed off the post and went clear.
Queen’s responded to Falkirk’s positive start and in the 53rd minute Louis Longridge picked the ball up and, with the Falkirk defence backing off, he hit a shot from 25 yards which Martin fumbled and the rebound from Connor Smith was brilliantly saved.
In the 56th minute, another dangerous corner by Connell was failed to be cleared by Falkirk goalkeeper Patrick Martin and the ball fell to Charlie Fox, however he blazed his shot well over the bar.
Queen’s Park made it three in the 63rd minute when slack play in defence by Falkirk led to Liam Brown running through on goal and firing the ball past Martin.
Falkirk were shell shocked and another defensive error by the away side led to sub-Luis Longstaff capitalising on the mistake and he placed the ball past Martin to add a sixth goal for Queen’s.
This was the last action of the match and Queen’s Park can take great confidence going into their next match away to Airdrie next Saturday.
Queen’s Park: Ferrie, Davidson (Kilday, 70′), Morrison (Gillies 82′), Fox, Robson, Thomson, Connell (Longstaff, 74′), Brown, Smith, Longridge, McHugh. Subs not used: Muir, Yeats, Biggar, Murray.
Falkirk: Martin, Williamson, Hall, Lemon, McCann, Hetherington (Ross 69′), Nesbitt, Telfer, McDaid (Miller, 81′), Morrison, Ruth (Keena, 45′). Subs not used: Dixon, McGuffie, Holt, Ompreon.
Referee: Euan Anderson
Reporter: Thomas Durning