William Muir: Queen's Park Legend

Amidst the tremendous league-clinching celebrations of Tuesday night, it would be easy to overlook another significant milestone that was reached during the game. Queen’s Park number one William Muir reached 200 appearances for the club when he lined up at Falkirk Stadium against Elgin City, equalling the record for a goalkeeper set by Derek Atkins between 1978-83.

While Atkins completed his service to the Spiders over one spell, Muir has taken more of a ‘prodigal son’ approach, re-signing for the club for a third time in 2019. Circumstances have greatly changed at the club since he first stood between the sticks for Queen’s, however it is a testament to his consistency that ‘Super Ray’ has had unwavering faith in him since his appointment in January 2020. Eight goals conceded and 13 clean sheets in 18 league games this campaign tells its own story, but Willie Muir’s contribution to Queen’s Park FC is far more significant than that. 

In order to truly appreciate the impact that Muir had in his first spell at the club, it is important to take a glance back at the season before he signed in July 2014. The mere mention of season 2013/14 is enough to provoke a sense of dread amongst Queen’s Park supporters. A campaign which began with significant losses in personnel, resulted in 22 league defeats and a grand total of 68 goals conceded. Add the beginning of our exile in Airdrie into the mix and this certainly was an example of bad things coming in threes.

That same adage could be applied to our unsuccessful attempt to fill the goalkeeping position over the course of that season. Michael Brown, Blair Lochhead and the enigma that was Lucas Birstingl fumbled the number one jersey from one to the other, in the midst of a managerial change from long serving coach Gardner Speirs to the vastly experienced Gus MacPherson. Without being overly harsh on this trio of custodians, none will be remembered in high regard by the Queen’s support. Birstingl in particular (the man with arguably the most misspelled name in Scottish football history), is a figure that remains synonymous with that catastrophic season. 

Having inherited this omnishambles, it was inevitable that the position of goalkeeper was one of MacPherson’s top priorities for the following season. Enter Willie Muir, signed without a senior appearance to his name after spells as a promising youth at Aberdeen, Motherwell, Celtic and Ayr. Several other much needed signings would board the ‘Gus Bus’ that summer but the impact of Muir was unquestionable. By the end of the campaign, there would be a 50% reduction in the number of league goals conceded.

However, his time at Queen’s did not exactly get off to a flying start. Making his debut in a drab 1-1 Challenge Cup draw with Berwick, in which he failed to save a penalty in the resulting shoot-out defeat, set the tone for an inauspicious start to the season. Muir’s league debut came on the opening day, a ‘home’ fixture against Clyde. This game gave us a taste of what was to come from Muir, when he made a fantastic diving save to keep out Clyde’s Scott Ferguson in the first half. Despite this (and Queen's taking a one goal lead from a Darren Miller corner) we stumbled to a 2-1 defeat thanks to a late Bully Wee winner from former Queen's hero Mick Daly. Queen’s continued to muddy their way through the opening games of the season; conceding further losses at home to Arbroath and away to Dirty Rovers (a sign of things to come). This led us into to a home meeting with Elgin which can justifiably be seen as a watershed moment for Muir's career at the club.

With the teams locked at 0-0 towards the end of the first half, a hopeful punt over the Queen’s defence should have caused few issues. However, Muir inexplicably raced from his goal to clear, only to be rounded by Shane Sutherland who walked the ball into an empty net. Given the goalkeeping howlers of the previous season, QP fans would have been forgiven for fearing the worst at half time that day at the Excelsior. The second half was an altogether different story. Queen’s rallied to seal a 2-1 win, with Muir turning in an assured second half performance which put the minds of the fans at ease. This result significantly altered the trajectory of the season for both player and team. 

The Elgin game triggered a remarkable run of results between September and Valentine’s Day 2015, during which time our only defeats in league and cup were against the same opposition. Albion Rovers went above and beyond the requirements of any goof bogey side, trumping us at every opportunity as we became embroiled in a three-way title fight with themselves and Arbroath. During this period, we began to realise we had a player on our hands in Muir. Demonstrating a command of his penalty area we had sadly missed, Muir racked up the clean sheets which fuelled the Gus Bus for a title challenge. 

One game that stands out in that run was our New Year’s meeting with Clyde, a fixture that also marked our return to Hampden after 14 months away. A bumper crowd of over 2000 witnessed what was perhaps Muir’s finest individual save as a QP player. With the team looking like they were sliding to a 1-0 defeat, a cross from the left was bundled towards the Queen’s net by Brian McQueen. With the ball already behind him, Muir displayed incredible athleticism to get a hand to it and claw it away from danger. To top off the display, Muir even managed to win the late penalty that allowed us to escape with a draw from our homecoming performance. 

Season 2014/15 eventually ended in familiar play-off disappointment for Queen’s. Four league defeats to Rovers proved fatal in our title bid and despite a stirring triumph over Arbroath in the semi finals, Stenhousemuir proved a bridge too far. During this run in, Muir had continued to endear himself to the Queen’s support. His performance against Arbroath in the second leg was particularly eye-catching. Excellent saves with the game poised at 0-0 enabled Tony Quinn to volley home a late winner, one of the most iconic moments for Queen’s fans in recent memory. It was clear that retaining Muir would be key to our attempts to go one better next season. 

The start of the new campaign saw Muir joined by several other key members of the squad in signing on for the season. An ever-present in both league and cup, Muir displayed a consistency that proved crucial in the team’s success. In an incredibly tight League 2 table, a mere six points would separate the top five teams at the end of the season. A closer look at the statistics reveals how important Muir’s presence between the sticks was. Queen’s conceded a league low 32 goals, with Muir’s clean sheet total continuing to rise steadily. The caveat to this was a team that struggled to find the net, with only 46 league goals scored. It is a fair assumption that the season could have finished very differently had it not been for Muir’s significant contribution. Particularly during a nerve-shredding final day showdown away to fellow promotion chasers Annan Athletic. 

QP entered the day knowing that any result other than a defeat by two or more goals against Annan would be enough to once again secure a play-off berth. However, the day that would be dubbed ‘Haturday’ by certain members of the IBF proved to be far from an easy ride. Annan had replaced Albion Rovers as our bogey side for the season. Three successive defeats had been recorded against the Galabankies, including a chastening 3-1 home pummelling in the previous meeting. Veteran striker Peter Weatherson had been a painful thorn in our side during this period and when he netted the opener just before half-time, the atmosphere was ominous amongst the Queen’s support. During the second half onslaught, it was Muir who emerged as the saviour. As our backline was peppered with crosses, his excellent handling got us over the line by the finest of margins and allowed the QP support to breathe a collective sigh of relief. 

Muir’s imperious performances would continue into the play-offs as the next two Saturdays followed an almost identical pattern to that day in Annan. Holding two goal leads over both Cowdenbeath and Clyde, we would contrive to concede the opening goal in the second leg of both ties. Muir once again stood up to be counted, demonstrating a calmness under pressure that inspired us to finally break our recent play-off hoodoo. The word ‘calmness’ could not be used to describe the scenes back at the club after promotion was sealed. During wild celebrations between players and fans alike, Muir showcased his excellent reactions when catching an unnamed and unsteady IBF member from the sky. The pair subsequently smashed through a table and legendary status among the fans was secured. 

As the dust settled on the promotion win, we witnessed the first parting of the ways between Muir and QP. League One rivals East Fife managed to convince him that Methil was the place to be. However, this turned out to be an extremely short-lived arrangement. Muir was back in a Queen’s shirt by September, ousting new recruit Andy Murphy from the number one spot. At the time, there was some justified sympathy for Murphy. He had recently recorded a trio of successive clean sheets against Brechin, Livingston and Morton. The game at Glebe Park had even spawned a chant in his honour. These feelings proved to be fleeting once Muir re-established himself in the team. 

Muir’s return to the team coincided with a poor run of form for QP as we initially struggled with the step up in division. The tide started to turn as we entered the winter months, resulting in a seven match unbeaten run before our visit to Almondvale to play the runaway league leaders Livingston. Muir’s performance in this match would demonstrate all the qualities we had come to expect from him. Facing a penalty with QP 2-1 up, he kept out a scuffed effort from Liam Buchanan. As the striker moved in for the rebound, Muir flung himself in the way, taking a sore one in the process. When asked about the incident post-match, his response was: “My head’s fine, it was worth it”. Further evidence, if it was required, that our goalkeeper had become a totemic figure. 

Muir continued to turn in high-quality performances as we entered the second half of the season and we punched well above our weight. With four games remaining we were in the driving seat for an unlikely play-off place, before running out of steam during the run-in. Sadly, steam continued to be in short supply as we moved into season 17/18. The loss of Ryan McGeever in front of Muir was keenly felt as we endured a torrid start to the campaign. 30 league goals were lost by early November including being hit for five by Raith and Albion Rovers. Our shakiness in defence was epitomised by an uncharacteristic error from Muir, as he fumbled an Andy Graham header into the net during another scudding against Alloa. This run culminated in a 3-0 loss at Stair Park, which saw Muir pick up a knee injury. Michael White stepped in as number one and would remain there. After a run of games on the bench, Muir left Queen’s for the second time in January, joining Airdrie on a six month deal. 

Both Muir and QP then seemed to experience what could be described as transitional phases in 2018/19. Muir had two more short-term spells at Forfar and East Kilbride as Queen’s slogged their way to a mid-table finish in League 2. Player and club were then reunited for a third time in summer 2019. Despite not playing regularly the previous year, Muir seamlessly picked up from where he left off at Queen’s. A clean sheet in the Betfred Cup draw with Hamilton Accies reminded us of the quality he possesses. Despite his return and a host of new signings, Queen’s continued to be underwhelming under Mark Roberts, before the winds of change blew through the club. After the arrival of Ray McKinnon and the advent of the professional era, Muir demonstrated his value almost immediately. An outstanding late penalty save against Albion Rovers in January secured a scarcely deserved point. Muir then successfully fended off the ‘challenge’ of former Scotland cap Cammy Bell to retain the number one spot for the rest of the soon to be curtailed season. Admittedly, it is unclear how much competition Mr Bell was providing him with! 

That brings us almost up-to-date on Muir’s service to the Spiders. This season we have watched his performances via dodgy streams but his consistency has continued to be remarkable. Yes, he may now have a far superior defence in front of him but there have still been key moments in which he has had to deliver. A crucial save in the tight 1-0 victory over Stranraer early in the season springs to mind. Far more recently, his reaction stop to keep out Elgin’s Kane Hester essentially sealed the league title. Aptly, Muir finished the game by picking up the man of the match award. A fitting way to mark his 200th appearance. 

After last Tuesday’s game, Muir stated in his post match interview that he “hopes he has given something back to the club” in his 200 games. I think every QP supporter will agree that Willie Muir has contributed to some of their best memories following the team. Now a member of two promotion winning QP teams, he enters a new realm of legendary status. I feel privileged to have watched both of these sides and there might yet be more success to come. Our chances of achieving further success are unquestionably boosted by the presence of Muir. A player who has endeared himself to supporters both on and off the park over the course of his double century, we all hope he is now here to stay! 

 

Champions-(Elect)! Queen's close in after thrilling day in Edinburgh

Pandemic football has been a strange and surreal experience. With fans locked out of grounds up and down the country, we have had to make do with remote viewing from home. In many cases, this has stifled the passion and emotion of the game we all love - with fixtures (particularly in the top leagues) played at a noticeably lower tempo and your everyday supporter as far removed from the action as they have ever been. 

It would be a lie to suggest this hasn't had an effect on what should have been Queen's Park's greatest season in a generation. At times, weeks and matches have passed without any great deal of emotional response, and the nerves and excitement you would usually associate with a title charge haven't always been present for supporters who would usually be chomping at the bit to tour the grounds (and pubs) of Scotland watching their heroes wreak unadulterated havoc on helpless League Two opposition. 

All this being said, even in this unprecedented campaign, football retains the ability to thrill, disappoint and delight like no other sport or past time imaginable. Perhaps, with our only interaction with our team being felt through the screen of a laptop, it takes a little bit more to evoke these emotions within a fanbase - and with our status as champions all but on the line, the Queen's support were certainly put through the wringer this past Saturday lunchtime.

Your humble editor has no shame in admitting that this past Friday was the first time in a long time where a good night's sleep was an impossible prospect due to the Queen's Park fixture the following day. A victory at Ainslie Park wouldn't be enough to officially wrap up the championship, but it would leave us in a position where only one point would be required from our final five games - the champagne was well and truly on ice before kick off on a beautiful spring afternoon in the Capital.

Victory however, would be no mean feat. Edinburgh City are one of only two sides to take anything from Ray McKinnon's men in the league this season, and their performance in an exciting 3-3 draw at Hampden in November was the best produced by an opposition outfit in League Two competition. In truth, City should have won that day. Queen's were miles off it and despite a stirring second half comeback to somehow lead going into the final minutes, it would have been daylight robbery had we taken all three points at The National Stadium. Everyone knew that Queen's would have to produce their very best to have any chance of taking three points home along the M8, and in turn all but securing their status as champions. 

Despite the gravity of the task ahead there was no reason for Queen's to be anything but confident prior to kick off. The players had shown great character to win 3-1 at Stenhousemuir the previous Saturday (Peter Grant's second half red card not enough to halt our momentum) and had eked out a 1-0 victory over Annan at the Falkirk Stadium despite never approaching our best in terms of performance level.

It had a big game feel, even without supporters in the ground, and it was hard not to wish you were there as the sun shone down on the players for an unusual noon start (the funeral of a public figure in London deemed important enough for the powers that be within the SPFL to shift from a traditional 3pm kick off). 

The match itself certainly didn't disappoint. Queen's roared out the traps in the first half and Louis Longridge and Bingo Bob McHugh both passed up decent chances to give us the lead. Our profligacy in recent weeks has been an area of concern for supporters - despite our great run (and largely impressive performances) we had been passing up lots of chances - and everyone knew this couldn't once again be the case if we wanted to see off Gary Naysmith's charges (themselves on a fine run of form). 

The goal our play deserved did however come on 26 minutes, and it was worth waiting for. Luca Connell delivered one of his trademark raking crosses from a set piece, and skipper Peter Grant looped a  header up and over Callum Antell in the City goal. Grant wheeled away to celebrate as the ball landed beautifully in the bottom corner of the net - sparking big celebrations within the QP squad and in living rooms and back gardens all over Glasgow's southside.

Queen's didn't take the foot off the pedal for the remainder of the first 45 minutes - stroking the ball about beautifully. Edinburgh City were in truth, nowhere to be seen for the majority of the opening half and the previously mentioned profligacy in front of goal once again reared its head as we passed up a number of chances. This theme continued into the beginning of the second half as The Ginger Prince Simon Murray passed up a glorious opening after rounding Antell in the City goal - it was hard not to think we might regret such a glaring miss and it almost came to pass as the home side hit us with a quick one-two. 

One of our greatest strengths this season has been a rock solid defence (with only six league goals conceded prior to kick off) but for eleven second half minutes they were all at sea, City turning the game on its head from two set pieces. The first, a corner from the far side, was initially blocked - but it wasn't cleared and defender Liam Henderson was on hand to smash a low shot past a helpless Willie Muir.

The home side were energised from this moment on and it was no surprise to anyone with experience of following Queen's Park to see them score again not long after. A soft free kick awarded by the referee was swung in with venom, and Josh Campbell made no mistake with a precise header past Muir.

While we have been excellent front runners for the entirety of the campaign, it is no stretch to suggest that this is the first time this set of players have been tested in such a manner. While far from catastrophic, a defeat would have certainly led to the formation of some seeds of doubt about whether or not this team would get over the line - and some supporters no doubt considered putting the bubbly away for another day. In truth, they needn't have worried.

This team is made of stern stuff and they proved it in a swashbuckling last fifteen minutes. The introduction of Buffalo Bill and Ross McLean in place of McHugh and Darren Lyon seemed to change the momentum and Simon Murray made up for his earlier missed chance in style, his two goals securing one of the most important Queen's Park victories of the modern era.

His first, on 78 minutes, was a fine close range header from a Michael Doyle delivery (Doyle, who had a quiet first half - really came to life in the final stages, and I would personally be stunned if he isn't voted Player of the Year by supporters when the time comes). Murray's second, a left foot finish from around six yards, was a thing of real beauty. 

Fans favourite Baynham had made a real impact in his brief spell on the pitch and he played a huge part in the winner. He received possession from Doyle just over the half way line, headed the bouncing ball beyond a despairing Edinburgh defender before showing a surprising turn of pace to gain a yard on his man. His dinked right foot cross was exquisite, and top scorer Murray showed great composure to stab the ball past Antell. 

Cue delirium within the squad who knew exactly what the goal meant. Murray was booked for his celebrations but he certainly won't be losing sleep over that fact. After fifteen months out with a serious knee injury, Murray must have thought days like this were behind him before he joined Queen's last summer. He has taken time to shine in a Spiders jersey but his performances in recent weeks have shown just how good a player he can be - and if anyone deserved a moment of glory like that it was him. 

When referee Grainger blew his final whistle the emotion on the faces of the Queen's players was a sight to see. Peter Grant, another player who has went through injury hell throughout his professional career, dropped to his knees in tears. A scorer in a Scottish Cup final for Falkirk, Grant is no stranger to the big occasion, but it was clear to see how much this victory meant to him on a personal level. He is another who should be in the reckoning for individual honours come May. 

Players and staff were careful not to use the 'C Word' in post match interviews, but this was the three points that sealed the title. The cheap fizz was successfully popped at The Web HQ and another bottle might just need to be bought in time for Tuesday's home fixture against Elgin, where a point would officially seal the championship for Ray McKinnon's men. 

A strange and unusual season it may have been, but in the annals of history it will go down as a great one, and the supporters cannot wait to celebrate together with this squad of players when the time comes. 

Binos; Blue Brazil defeated as Super Ray's rampant Spiders march towards the title.

The move to our new home at The Falkirk Stadium may have caused some consternation within the support when announced a few weeks ago - but there has been no such drama for Super Ray, his staff and his players who haven't missed a beat over the course of two impressive victories - firstly against promotion challenging Stirling Albion, and then relegation threatened Cowdenbeath.

This has been, without doubt, a massive week for Ray McKinnon's men. Another six points on the board, another two clean sheets protected and another four goals scored - we are now at the stage where it is extremely hard to see Queen's being overhauled at the League Two summit - and it is surely a matter of time before captain David Galt lifts the first Queen's Park league title in 21 years. 

The clash with the Binos on Saturday was rightly touted as a huge match for the prospects of both sides, towards the end of what has been a challenging season. Stirling (one of only two teams to prevent a Spiders league win all season) were only seven points behind your favourites at kick off in FK2, and while there was a degree of confidence within the Queen's ranks there was also no doubt that the visitors would provide a sterner test than those experienced at both Glebe Park and at Cliftonhill. 

Stirling were hampered by the absence of main goal threat Andy Ryan through injury but Kevin Rutkiewicz was still able to name a strong side which included two ex-Spiders in centre back Darryl Meggatt and creative midfielder Kurtis Roberts. A tight game was expected, and so it proved, but in truth this was a match which never really got going and good chances were at a premium (particularly in the first half where the Queen's opener was the only moment worth writing home about).

Luca Connell has been hogging the headlines in his formative weeks as a Queen's Park player, and following a virtuoso performance against Albion Rovers at Cliftonhill a few days before, it was no surprise that the only goal of the game came from one of his pinpoint in-swinging set pieces. Connell's ball in was begging to be met, and after a couple of nicks off attacking players, the ball spun past Binos keeper Cameron Binnie.

The final touch appeared to come off the forehead of unfortunate ex-Queen's defender Meggatt (Strawberry's uncharacteristic faux-pas coming ten years to the month since his last Spiders goal). Queen's controlled the remainder of the first period without really stamping their authority on the fixture - the midfield pairing of Connell and the revitalised Darren Lyon were controlling the tempo of the passing and the Binos could only chase shadows. When they did find controlled possession, the tireless Lyon was in their faces and he received a yellow card for his troubles following a crunching slide tackle which disrupted the early phases of a promising visiting attack.

The second half continued in a much similar vein, but to Queen's credit, we did manage to create more in the way of clear chances - and its hard to believe that we didn't add to our lead. Salim Kouder-Aissa was guilty of two horrible misses (the second in particular, not one he would've fancied watching back on QPTV), sub David Galt was somehow denied by Binnie from close range and fellow replacement Buffalo Bill Baynham had a towering header harshly ruled out for an apparent push on Meggatt. 

The Binos had one clear chance of their own to salvage a draw, Jack Leitch (I am told no relation to public health buzzkill Jason) headed wide when it looked easier to score, but Queen's deserved the three points even if they did not manage to hit the heights we all know these players are capable of, particularly in the attacking areas. 

With our closest rivals dispatched homewards with nothing to show for a plucky effort, confidence was rightly sky high when relegation battlers Cowdenbeath rocked up at the Falkirk Stadium for last night's 7pm kick off. The quick turnaround from Saturday's fixtures no doubt suited Ray McKinnon more than his opposite number Gary Bollan, and the Queen's gaffer surprised the support by not only changing personnel, but by moving away from his tried and tested 4-4-2 formation. 

Buffalo Bill, Grant Gillespie, captain Galt and Jai Quitongo came in from the start and there was no place for the misfiring duo of Bingo Bob McHugh and Kouder-Aissa. Simon Murray, Canice Carroll and Tommy Robson were back on the bench - but the impressive young Brody Paterson kept his place at left back and Baynham was deployed as a lone striker with Galt and Louis Longridge roaming in behind. 

Our visitors The Blue Brazil have had a miserable season, and by reading the contributions of Cowden supporters on popular Scottish football forum Pie & Bovril, there appears to be serious concern over their league status going into what will be a difficult final few months of fixtures for The Fifers. Last night's performance (coupled with results from elsewhere) would have done nothing to allay the relegation fears which will be dominating the thoughts of all those involved at Central Park. 

In contrast to Saturday, where Queen's knew a good performance would be required to see off high flying Stirling Albion, this was a display from a side who never really had to move out of second gear (particularly in a dull first half). Cowden offered nothing in an attacking sense, and while McKinnon's boys were timid in attack for the first 45 minutes - they enjoyed complete dominance of the ball and held a 1-0 half time advantage thanks to a rocket of a shot from Jai Quitongo. 

The usually impressive Connell, quiet in the first period and recipient of a few tasty challenges, was replaced at half time by Darren Lyon, and Lyon's almost instantaneous close range goal (following more superb work from Quitongo on the right) set the tone for a much improved second half performance from Queen's Park. 

The home side were working harder and pressing higher, and Cowdenbeath were really struggling to cope as the minutes ticked on. This should have been the night where Queen's dished out a real doing to the opposition. We created chance after chance in the second period, but flabby finishing and the fine form of young goalkeeper Nicky Hogarth limited us to just one more in the forty minutes that remained following Lyon's 4th goal of the season.

It was Buffalo Bill Baynham, terrific throughout, who got it - heading in from the centre of the box following a sweeping delivery from Mr. Consistent Michael Doyle. In truth, Baynham would have had a hat trick if not for the performance of Cowdenbeath's number one - but it was good to see the big man back in the team and back amongst the goals. 

The fixtures continue to come thick and fast for everyone in the league, but with our superior resources and full time status - we are no doubt in a much better position to cope than our divisional rivals. This has been a great few weeks for Ray McKinnon and his coaching staff and they will be particularly be pleased with the performances of players who had found themselves on the fringes of the squad prior to the lockdown in January.

Midfielders Lyon and Gillespie were maligned in some quarters in the first phase of the season, but both have been in excellent form since the restart, and the significant presence of Canice Carroll has not been missed whatsoever which is testament to the form of both players. Young loanee Brody Paterson has proven himself a more than capable backup to Tommy Robson on the left of our steely defence, while wide men Quitongo and Longridge have put in a series of eye catching displays since the return - these two should be nailed on starters for Saturday's trip to face Stenhousemuir. 

While clarity relating to some serious off field problems remains nowhere to be found, Queen's supporters can at least be reassured that everything is going to plan on the field. Five games have been played since the restart, and with fifteen points (and five clean sheets) added to the record books - we look in a superb position to finish the season strongly - and lift the League Two championship in a blaze of glory come May. 

Mind the Gap! Crunch time for Binos as Queen's close in on title.

It was expected that Queen's Park would find the return of football (and the cramped fixture list drawn up to resolve this most unique of campaigns) more to their liking than most of our League Two rivals. A strong squad full of experience, and status as a full time professional football team suggested as much - and so it has proved over a highly successful last 14 days for The Spiders.

Commanding victories over Stranraer at Hampden, Brechin City at Glebe Park and old foes Albion Rovers at Cliftonhill have helped Ray McKinnon's champions-elect roll towards the finishing line, and it could be argued that this Saturday's fixture against Stirling Albion is the vital match in deciding the destination of the League Two title. 

Kevin Rutkiewitcz's Binos were our first league opponents of the season all the way back in October, and they proved themselves to be a dangerous rival on that day at Forthbank. Albion, like Queen's, had an extremely busy summer transfer window and had bolstered their ranks with many familiar names from the lower leagues. There was very little between the teams that day, Queen's creating little in attack, as it finished 0-0.

Stirling remain one of only two sides to take points off Queen's in the league this season (the other being Edinburgh City), and in truth nobody could have begrudged them all three on a day that goalkeeper Willie Muir had to be at his very best, pulling off two or three tremendous saves. 

As the league table stands, The Binos sit seven points behind Queen's having played the same amount of games (with the rest of the chasing pack having played one game more). They realistically appear to be the only side able to catch us at this stage of this campaign, and therefore Saturday's fixture at our new Falkirk Stadium 'home' has all the makings of a crunch encounter.

All this being said - it really is difficult to see Queen's being hauled back at this stage. The seven point lead isn't insurmountable but performances since the restart have given off a real air of confidence and the signing of Luca Connell (already proving himself to be one of the best players in the league) looks like it could be the catalyst for an impressive run between now and the end of the season.

Connell returned to the Queen's starting XI for Tuesday's fixture at Cliftonhill and put in a second Man of the Match display in as many games. His flair and movement add a totally different gear to the Queen's midfield, and the overall team performance was much improved from the comfortable, if industrial, 2-0 success over Brechin on Saturday. 

His strike to make it 2-0, a searing effort from all of 25 yards into the bottom corner, will be hard to beat in the Goal of the Season stakes come the end of the season - and he also provided the assist for our third goal of the night, his teasing corner headed into the net by Salim Kouder-Aissa (looking sharp after a disappointing return to action against Brechin). 

Midfielder Darren Lyon, a player who has yet to set the world on fire in a Queen's Park jersey, was responsible for our opening goal (a fine outside of the foot finish from around 16 yards) with only 7 minutes on the clock. Many Queen's fans were surprised to see Lyon retain his place in the starting line up ahead of Grant Gillespie (terrific up at Brechin) but Darren put in one of his most assured displays for the club and proved that gaffer McKinnon was correct to keep him in the starting team. 

Rovers are not the best opposition we will face between now and the season's end. The additions of experienced players such as Ryan Stevenson, David Cox and ex-Spider Jamie McKernon look like desperate last throws of the dice by manager Brian Reid - and if Brechin are able to find a couple of results between now and the end of the campaign there is a very good chance of our old friends from Coatbridge being dragged into a relegation playoff that they would almost certainly lose. 

Despite this fact, this was much more like it from Queen's in terms of tempo and aggression when compared to the Brechin victory. The ball was moved about with far more purpose which in turn led to the creation of a barrel load of chances, had it not been from a top class performance by Rovers on-loan Hearts keeper Harry Stone, McKinnon's men would have racked up the hatful they have been threatening to find all season. 

With Connell back in action (and heavy hitters Canice Carroll, Simon Murray and the mysterious Craig Slater still to return) this looks like a Queen's Park side well equipped to finish the job and secure promotion to League One for next season. Stirling Albion may well be the only side that can stand in our way, but they will have to derail the Spiders express at The Falkirk Stadium if they are to have any chance of clawing back the gap.