Queen’s Park 2 Arbroath 1 – Ice Cool Seb Chips In

SEB DROZD’S cool chipped finish lifted Queen’s Park back off the bottom of the William Hill Championship with a hard-working win over Arbroath.

The Red Lichties took the lead through Scott Robinson’s close range conversion on 19 minutes but Aidan Connolly tapped in Grant Savoury’s header to level.

Then, one week before his return to Ibrox and the scene of his finest moment, Sebastian Drozd produced a moment of magic to race clear on the stroke of half-time and lift a lovely delicate finish over Aidan McAdams for what proved to be the match-winner.

With Tuesday’s opponents Ross County losing out at Morton it was an important victory, more so with near-table rivals Airdrie winning away at Dunfermline.

The Spiders started the game off well and Callum Smith, on his first home start, made a
brilliant run down the wing, before putting a ball across the face of goal, though no one was there to bury it. 

Four minutes later Arbroath found the opener after a counter-attack with Robinson tapping in at the back post. 

Queen’s Park’s response was immediate. Sean Crighton’s side re-grouped and within ten minutes were level.

Henry Fieldson’s ball into the box was nodded towards the far post by Grant Savoury and Aidan Connolly was there with the vital touch to make sure.

Arbroath had won both previous meetings – 3-1 here at The city Stadium and 4-1 at Gayfield, but this time they found Cal Ferrie and his defence significantly harder to break down. The keeper had a magnificent save after a counter from the visitors which saw Ferrie dive low for the save.

 

Even frontman Callum Smith, leading the line after Josh Fowler’s departure on Thursday, was back to muck in and produced a brave block to keep the Spiders level.

Then though came his fellow forward’s moment to shine. A Spiders breakaway saw Savoury and Drozd in a two against one scenario with Tom Lang and the former laced through the latter and Drozd ran clear and lifted the ball over the diving keeper for 2-1.

 

The second half started with the same tempo as the first ended with Arbroath’s Findlay Marshall forcing a brilliant reaction save from Ferrie. 

As the second half went on the game started to slow down with neither team really finding their feet with around 20 minutes to go. 

With just over 10 minutes to go Ricki Lamie slid in to block a cross as the Spiders look to

protect their one goal advantage. Then Ferrie produced a brilliant save in stoppage time from an Arbroath freekick as the Spiders held on to move off the bottom. 

They duly did and now take on the side they leap-frogged, Ross County, on Tuesday night.

Queen’s Park: Ferrie, Fieldson (Lamie 61), Murray, Longridge, MacGregor, Savoury (Mackenzie 81), Connolly, Pignatiello, Shiels, Smith, Drozd (McLeish 88). 

by Robbie McNair, Glasgow Clyde College