The changes to the starting eleven this weekend following on from the 3-1 defeat at Kirkcaldy were that Brian Reid (Suspended) was replaced by Jim Thomson in the middle of defence. Eric Paton returned to fill the right-back slot vacated by Thomson and David Bagan made way for Joe McAlpine who took up a left sided midfield position. The changes meant that David Bagan had to be content with a seat on the bench and Paul McMullan found himself dropped in favour of Willie Gibson.
The formation today was more a 3-5-2 style with Eric Paton spending more time wide right than in defence and Joe McAlpine coming back to cover as and when necessary.
The game itself was very disappointing with many fans believing it was one of the worst games seen at Palmerston this season. If truth be told then it probably was! Queens performed in the first half as it the season was already over - too many players looked tired and jaded and with still seven matches to go it is a worrying predicament.
To the match itself and the notebook tonight shows little signs of writing as neither side could force any chances of note in the first half hour except for a Samson fumble as he attempted to collect a bouncing ball on the second attempt, failed and let in Kean whose effort goalward was turned away by a quickly recovering Jim Thomson, and a snapshot from Kean that Samson had no trouble in holding.
Queens only chance of the half came from a free-kick on the left that Payne swung in and missed everyone apart from an Ayr defender with Derek Allan in close attendance - the ball ending up being put out for a corner.
Ayr had the last chance of the half with David Craig having a free header from a corner that he put past the post.
The second half saw John Connolly make some unusual early changes with Payne and McAlpine being switched for Bagan and McColligan as the teams came out. The move seemed to have the desired effect as the home side began the half with much more direction than they had ended the first. The final substitution by Queens came on the hour mark as Emilio Jaconelli replaced Paul Burns and Alex Burke moved over to left wing to allow Jaconelli the chance to partner O'Connor up front.
However the first moment of note in the second half came when an Eric Paton cross/shot looked to have Roy in trouble in the Ayr goal, the dipping effort had to be parried and then collected at the second attempt by the French 'keeper.
Twenty-five minutes into the half and Scott Chaplain struck a twenty-five yard effort for Ayr that had their bench jumping but whistled past the post, although Samson was well beaten. And just as if it looked as though Ayr were getting more on top in the match Queens enjoyed their best pressure of the entire ninety minutes as somehow the ball stayed out of the net. The pressure started with an Ayr defender trying to swap shirts with Alex Burke on the left hand side of the park, the resultant free-kick was a short one played by Burke to Paton who set himself up for a shot, the ball ricocheted to Jaconelli who struck the ball from an acute angle only to see it cleared when already half over the line, it fell to Derek Allan and in the style of a true defender he fluffed his effort and the ball ended up back with Jaconelli with a clear sight of goal albeit from a tight angle on the left, Jaconelli's shot however was well past the post and the 'goalden' chance was gone.
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