2004/05 Season Review
A serialised account of our season by our man who has been at every match home and away - Ewan Lithgow
Part Five - November 2004
The month of November began with a minor goalkeeping crisis developing. Kilmarnock recalled Craig Samson from his loan spell, ostensibly because of an injury situation at Rugby Park but basically because Jim Jeffries wasn't happy at his lack of games. Iain Scott attempted to sign former Millwall and Aldershot goalkeeper Richie Barnard as his replacement but was informed by the SFL that the signings of Craig and Lyle had utilised his "jokers" for the first part of the season. That left Queens with only Colin Scott, who was carrying a minor injury, and teenager Graeme Wright on the books.

Didn't happen - at first.

Bowser hit the winner
Just when things are beginning to look bleak and you don't know where the next goal will come from along come Airdrie United to help ease your woes. Sandy Stewart's side have done very well this season and, like us when we came up as Champions, went on to finish 5th. However, just as we were honking against Hamilton Accies every time we met, Airdrie just couldn't seem to find much of a performance against us. On this occasion we ended a spell of more than six hours without a goal when McNiven's knock down was volleyed home by Bowey.
Next up though was a trip to the aforementioned Hamilton and the usual poor showing against them. Before the match Richie Barnard solved the goalkeeping crisis by agreeing to play on amateur terms until 1st January, meaning we could get round the transfer window embargo. The game was by and large a shocker although Derek Lyle missed a great early chance and Brian Carrigan missed a sitter early in the second period. It should have been 0-0 but in the final minute Accies knocked a free kick long into the box and the header clear didn't go far enough allowing Steven Thomson to hammer home the winner.

It was time to break a major hoodoo. Partick Thistle hadn't lost at Palmerston since 1958 before their visit on November 20th. The game was another shocker but by 4:45pm that record was a thing of the past as former Jag David Craig's 80th minute header from a Gibson corner earned a 1-0 win in a game we only managed two efforts on target in (the second was Derek Lyle's shot after the goal!).

The final game of the month saw a magnificent defensive performance earn a 2-2 draw in Paisley. It was an odd game and, in the sense that St Mirren dominated the game from start to finish, a good point to get. That said though, for all the home side's dominance they had very little on target and Queens let slip a two goal lead given them by Derek Lyle's first goal since his return and then Steve Bowey's finish from another McLaughlin backheel. Queens had no answer though to the domineering Kirk Broadfoot and he scored both goals to haul the home side back into the game. Indeed, David Craig was perhaps more than a little lucky not to concede a late penalty for handball that could have seen the comeback completed.

The final "fixture" of the month was the club AGM held again at the Nith Hotel. There were no great surprises this time though apart from the announcement of a small profit.

Ewan Lithgow
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