Queens hit by triple whammy

QUEEN of the South co-managers Ken Eadie and George Rowe will need to engineer a repeat of last season's belated escape from the relegation mire if the Palmerston side are to avoid the drop to the Third Division.

Struggling Queens stumbled to their seventh successive defeat at a venue where they have claimed only one league victory since 1970.

To be fair, the Dumfries outfit have been hampered by the loss of some of their best players in recent months, notably Derek Townsley (Motherwell), and Jamie McAllister and David Lilley (both Aberdeen).

Their situation was not helped by suspensions to Denis Boyle and Steven Leslie, forcing the management pair to field a side including nine players aged 24 or younger.

The visitors did battle hard but eventually succumbed to three goals in the second half. However, the fact that Stirling won comfortably in the end without reaching any great heights sums up the current plight surrounding Queen of the South. Underachievers in each and ever year since being relegated from Division One in the 1988-89 season, it is hard to see how they can retain their second division status this term.

For Stirling Albion, who consider themselves contenders for promotion, this victory, coming on the back of defeats by Clyde and Partick Thistle, was perfectly timed. The side's inconsistency can be largely attributed to the second worst defensive record in the League - only their opponents yesterday have conceded more - but the addition of on-loan St Johnstone defender Andy Whiteford helped Stirling Albion to their first shut-out since August.

Top scorers in Division Two, Albion could even afford the luxury of a missed penalty, Ally Graham sending his effort wide of target in the eighth minute following a foul by Sandy Hodge on Paul Mortimer.

Albion enjoyed the bulk of possession in the first half and the lively John McQuade sent a shot just skidding wide before Jim Gardner should have done better than shoot tamely at John Hillcoat.

Queen of the South threatened on the break and John Dickson tested Jason Gardiner with a powerful 25-yard shot.

But the real action was reserved for the second half.

McQuade broke the deadlock on 53 minutes with a close-range finish from Paul McGrillen's cross for his ninth goal of the season.

The match then hit a lull but the visitors should have equalised on 75 minutes when Scott McLean (on loan from Inverness) set up Andrew Aitken with a clever back-heel only for the defender to steer his shot wide.

Within minutes Whiteford had headed in an Andy Paterson free-kick for his first league goal in senior football, and in injury time Graeme Donald nodded home a corner after his initial effort had been cleared to make it 3-0.

Slightly flattering perhaps but the better team won.

STIRLING ALBION 3 - QUEEN OF THE SOUTH 0

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