Queen’s Park took a huge step towards the playoff final with a win over a lacklustre Cowdenbeath side at Hampden. Their only regret on the night may be that they didn’t rack up a greater lead to take to Central Park this weekend.
Gus MacPherson’s side came racing out of the traps, and Chris Duggan had them ahead within 25 seconds. The same player tucked away a second from the penalty spot just after the hour, but the hosts missed a series of opportunities that could have put them out of sight in the tie, a fact acknowledged by their manager.
“I thought we were very good,” MacPherson said. “If somebody said before the game we would win 2-0 we would have taken that.
“You can be slightly disappointed though when you create as many chances as that, but when you play with a real tempo like that you’ve got to be pleased.”
The hosts got off to a dream start as Sean Burns went on a great run from right-back and fed Paul Woods in midfield, who ran directly at the heart of the Cowdenbeath defence before slipping the ball to Duggan at the edge of the area.
The on-loan Partick Thistle striker cut back inside onto his right foot before curling a sumptuous finish into Grant Adam’s top left-hand corner.
Cowdenbeath took a while to get going, but their own on-loan star from Firhill Declan McDaid almost drew them level after 25 minutes with a stinging drive from outside the area that flew inches wide.
The Spiders missed a glorious opportunity as the game approached half-time, Duggan getting free on the right and drilling a low ball across the face of goal that David Galt just failed to connect with. Joe Bradley was following in at the far post, but he crashed his effort off the upright before Liam Brown missed his kick in front of goal from the rebound.
They had another chance on the stroke of half-time, but Woods dragged his shot just wide from 15 yards.
The home side started the second-half as they ended the first, with Galt crossing low for the sliding Duggan to poke into the side-netting from close-range.
Woods then drew a fine one-handed save from Adam, with Duggan just unable to get onto the rebound to convert.
McDaid was providing the odd moment of encouragement for the visitors though, and he forced Willie Muir into a good low save with another decent effort from outside the area, before Woods almost squeezed it past Adam at the other end – the keeper saving with his outstretched left foot.
After 65 minutes Queen’s Park were awarded what was a rather soft-looking penalty when Chris Kane slid in on Duggan inside the area, with the defender looking to have taken the ball cleanly.
Duggan cared little though, as he coolly stepped up and slid the ball into the bottom corner to double his own and his side’s tally.
“He was outstanding,” said MacPherson. “That’s what he’s capable of. He’s a real threat with his pace and his strength. He’s direct and we’ve now got him playing through the middle rather than going into wider areas as much as he was when he first came.
“He’s a handful for any defence when he does that, and he got his reward with the goals tonight.”
Adam had to claw a wonderful curling effort from Vinnie Berry out from under the bar, before Duggan blew a gilt-edged chance for his hat-trick, hitting the post from close range after a good ball across from Burns.
In the end, they were well-worth their two-goal lead on the night, and Cowdenbeath will have to put in a vastly improved performance at Central Park on Saturday to turn this one around.
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