Now that the dust has settled on this tie, – and lets face it by now not only has the dust settled, it has been hoovered up, emptied into the bin and whisked away to the nearest landfill site (sorry for the delay chaps!) – and the other games in this round have been played and resolved (almost – c’mon the Harry Wragges!) – the memory of the 70 yarder at the end, and the Doonhamers behind the goal “sookin” the ball into the net, will remain in my memory for a long long time to come. It is, as they say “what the Cup is all about”.
When I started this trail all those months ago at Glasgow Uni FC v Buckie, I suppose this type of moment was what I was hoping for, A piece of football history. It was very special indeed and if you’re a Queens fan, it must have been a real magic moment for you. Going by the level of bedlam that ensued after the goal and well after the final whistle, I’m sure that I was very lucky to be a part of the moment for Queen of the South FC.
About the game, and excuse me for straying from format here, all i can say is that Queens deserved their place at Hampden. Credit to Alex Rae’s Dundee boys, plagued with injuries and one freak accident with a coffee table, he put out a pretty inexperienced team. The level of football in the first half was as could be expected with such a reward beckoning the winners. It was tight and scrappy, however Queens did have the best of the chances but were unable to alter the starting scoreline by halftime.
What started off as a bright crisp sunny day at Palmerston, degenerated momentarily into a deluge of rain as the heavens opened before half time. The rain and hail belted off the stand roof, and the players and officials got drenched, so much so that Mr McCurry and his cohorts arrived fresh after the interval in some new dayglow attire. If only the idiot in the Dundee support who ran onto the pitch had brought same dayglow top, then maybe he would have made it easier for the pie eating security staff to catch him as he ran amok mid match. What is it with these fucking twats? Immediately the downpour began, a group of Dundee delinquents saw fit to take of their tops and bare their pasty chests (not a patch on the Buster Bloodvessel stripper at cappilow – see previous match report), banging aforementioned emaciated ribcages in some pathetic tribal war cry? Big deal mate, your pissed, your looking like a ned on “Brown”, you’re obviously not top of the food chain, so why advertise this fact by running onto the park and spoiling it all for everyone who has turned up to see some football? Hope you had a long sleep in the cop van and missed your bus back to Dundee!
While I’m on my rant, I just have to say, that some of the behaviour of the Dundee supporters was just rank. I don’t know if anyone noticed the idiot who ran onto the park after Ryan McCann’s 70 yarder went in, and tried to accost one of the QotS players whilst about 30 of his co accused ran to the front of the stand and started kicking in the advertising hoardings until they were broken and lying in peices on the ground. What is that all about? Take it on the chin guys. You got beat pretty much fair and square.
Ok, rant over with, second half. First goal by Stepen Dobbie was courtesy of a route one goal clearance from the keeper, but you have to say it was a fabulous finish. Well deserved Queens, and set us up for a nailbiting finish to the game. As the seconds ticked away, the punters in the packed stand around me shifted nervously in their seats. And, when it finally got to the stage where the Dundee keeper left the safety of his own box to head up for a free kick just outside the box (unfairly won I thought) you could see the Queens fans anticipating a last gasp equaliser. Ball goes into the box, comes back out again, again it’s returned back into the danger area, but this time the clearance lands at the feet of Ryan McCann. Now at this time, I’m sure the Queens fans are thinking like me “Just run the ball up the park to the corner flag!!”, but no! Cool as you like, he looks up and fires the ball upfield. Suddenly everything is moving in slow motion and somebody has switched the sound off. Like Chariots of Fire, the Dundee keeper and defenders are running back towards their goal, but they are only treading water. Faces around me are staring in one direction, mouths open and eyes bulging. The ball drops on the 18 yard line. “Has it got the pace? Is it on target? Hard to tell from this angle”. The fans behind the goal are, to a man leaning forward like Eddie the eagle ready to launch. Ball bounces again on the 6 yard line then starts to roll. By this time we all know “It’s goin in!!”.
When the ball crosses the line, absolute bedlam ensues!
One of the most memorable moments for me at a football match, no doubt.
Onto the semis now with Aberdeen, least said about my team the better.
Must thank the Hawkster again for securing tickets for me. You’re a star mate, and thanks to the staff at Palmerston for helping out. See you all at Hampden.
Fiery Jack
