QUEEN’S PARK’S wait for a first home win of the season is no more as Josh Fowler’s double – dedicated to Charlie Fox – helped the Spiders see off Raith Rovers 2-1.
He wasn’t the only one. Multiple defensive stops from Euan Murray, multiple magnificent saves from keeper Calum Ferrie were the highlights from an all-round team performance which moved Queen’s move up to eighth in the Championship.
It was a day tinged with emotion following last week’s injury to Charlie Fox, and Fowler celebrated his opener with the shirt of the Spiders’ number five.
His defensive mates did him proud in his absence, Darryl Carrick joining captain Murray in the backline and Calum Ferrie claiming a couple of early crosses.
It wasn’t long till Queen’s found themselves through on goal after capitalising on a slip from Raith Rovers’ Ross Matthews, which saw Seb Drozd seize the loose ball. He played in Josh Fowler who fired early past Joshua Rae to give the Spiders the lead 13 minutes in.
The players gathered around the scorer holding their hands in heart-shapes and displaying Fox’s squyad number five as Fowler held their team-mate’s shirt.
The home fans were delighted but Raith Rovers found their way back into the game 10 minutes later when a Josh Mullin free kick was met by Darragh O’Connor at the back post to make it 1-1.
The sides headed into the break level though after the offside flag denied Matty Shiels a charge through on goal, but a strong defensive 45 minutes from the Spiders saw the Rovers very limited and Ferrie not having much to do in the first half.
The sides came out for the second half with Queen’s replacing Carrick with Rocco Friel – but the same defensive form with Euan Murray heading clear a cross into the box three minutes into the second half.
Two minutes later Aiden Connolly headed a ball into the path of Fowler for a one-on-one with the keeper, but the linesman again raised his flag for offside.
Moments later Calum Ferrie produced two magnificent saves in quick succession to deny Raith at a corner – twice. He pushed one onto the crossbar and then met the rebound and clattered into the post to keep the game level.
On the hour mark Fowler won Queen’s a freekick in their own half. The quick counter was halted but the Spiders used the freekick to create a chance for Grant Savoury who dragged his shot narrowly wide.
With just over 20 minutes left in the game Aiden Connelly makes a brilliant interception in his own box before dribbling it out of danger and clearing it to keep the scores at 1-1. Then sub Tyrece McDonnell made a brilliant run with the ball before trying to curve it round the defender to Fowler but the stopper got a toe to deny the striker what surely would have been a brace.
It would come, and sent The city Stadium wild.
In the 77th minute he hit the side netting but Fowler made no mistake a minute later. Running into the box, his cut-back inside took the defender out of the equation before bending a brilliant shot past Rae to give the Spiders the lead with 10 minutes to go.
It completed Fowler’s own injury comeback after missing most of October through injury, and lifted spirits after an emotional week in the aftermath of Fox’s injury.
Queen’s wait for a first home win since January, is no more.
Queen’s Park: Ferrie, Murray, Longridge, Savoury, Connolly, Pignatiello, Fowler, Carrick (Friel 46), Waugh (McDonnell 69), Shiels, Drozd (McLean 77).