Report: Queen’s Park 2-1 Berwick Rangers
Scorer of Berwick’s goal, Andy Russell
Berwick dropped six points off the pace in pursuit of fourth spot as Queen’s Park struck late to take the spoils in another match that the ‘Gers felt they could’ve easily won.
After dominating the first half, Berwick couldn’t make their chances count and Ross McPherson opened the scoring with a header in the 75th minute.
Berwick hit back three minutes later through a well-struck, cushioned volley from Andy Russell, but in the 86th minute, Paul Woods tapped home to lift the Spiders to the top of Scottish League Two.
There were three changes from the side that defeated Spartans in midweek with Russell, David Gold and Scott Maxwell replacing Darren Lavery, Ross Gray and the injured Steven Notman.
Fans watching the match on BBC Alba were, not for the first time this season, witness to a dominant first half performance with Queen’s Park offering very little in the way of an attacking threat.
Russell, on the other hand, was in the thick of things for most of the half, heading wide twice in as many minutes, the second of which was a great chance after finding space in the penalty area from Ross Drummond’s cross.
The striker again found himself in behind but his shot was blocked by William Muir and as the ball tricked towards goal, David MacGregor scrambled it clear. It came back to Maxwell though, and his left-footed volley went inches past the post.
Darren Miller watched his free-kick go narrowly wide n the Spiders’ only real chance of the half and, moments before the interval, Gold and Russell exchanged a neat one-two but the former’s shot was straight at Muir.
The Spiders came back into it more in the second half and after Shaun Fraser screwed his shot wide of the far post, Billy Bald spilled a cross from Ciaran McElroy but got down bravely at the second attempt to prevent a follow-up.
The warning signs were mounting for Berwick as Jordan Moore’s free header went over the bar and it was from another free header where Queen’s Park grabbed the first goal, substitute McPherson peeling off at the far post to finish past Bald via a couple of deflections.
Just like against Arbroath the week before, the reply was instant from the ‘Gers as Drummond’s deep cross was headed away by MacGregor but only as far as Russell. The striker chested the ball down and placed a cushioned volley past Muir to get Berwick back on level terms.
In a frantic final 10 minutes, it was Queen’s who snatched the winner to go top of the league when Gavin Mitchell was given far too much time to fire in a low cross from the right. McPherson flicked the ball at Bald from close range and the keeper could only push it out as far as Woods who reacted quickest to tap in.
