Queen of the South 3-5 Ross County
Irn-Bru Division One
Palmerston Park, Dumfries
Sat. 5th May 2012
Keeping the best till last is a very apt saying for this game. Not only was the game one of the better games I have seen this season, but the fifth goal by Kurtis Byrne was one of the best of the season.
County fielded a similar team to last week, although Grant Munro regained his place in the center of the defence.
A healthy away support of 211 took their place in the 1,300 strong crowd - and with it being the last game of the season their was the now usual fancy dress but quite a few.
The game went from end to end in the opening period, but it was Queen of the South who were to draw first blood after 10 minute, when Danny Carmichael fired the ball low into the far corner of the net just beyond the reach of Michael Fraser.
However the lead only lasted a minute, as County raced up the other end of the pitch and Stuart kettlewell rose unmarked inside the penalty area to head the ball into the net.
But a further four minutes later Queens regained the lead, this time Sam Parkin out jumped Grant Munro to head the ball past Fraser.
Played raged from end to end in the first half, and both teams had further chances to score, but it was County who were to get the next goal, six minutes before half time, this time Michael Gardyne raced through on goal and with the Queens keeper advancing, Gardyne simply chipped the ball over him and into the net.
With the scores level at half time, Derek Adams made a tactical change at the start of the second half, moving to a back three of Munro, Boyd and Kettlewell, this allowed an extra player in midfield and as a result County took more control of the game.
But it was Queen of the South who were to the take the lead for a third time in this game, when Gavin Reilly latched onto a through ball and threaded the ball between the legs of Michael Fraser.
But again County quickly equalised, this time it was Colin McMenamin who got the final touch to bundle the ball over the line from close range.
County were now the better team and had all the better chances, and midway through the second half took the lead for the first time int he game when Michael Gardyne got his second goal of the game, when he blasted the ball into the net from just inside the penalty area.
With time running out, Queens applied a little pressure, and in injury time at the end they were awarded a corner kick, their keeper was given permission to go up to add to the number of attackers, and he almost grabbed a late equaliser but his shot was well saved by County's keeper Michael Fraser, and when the ball was quickly knocked out to Kurtis Byrne, he was still on the half way line and faced with an empty goal. He took a touch before hitting the ball high and goalwards, the Queens keeper was sprinting back towards his goal but Byrne's shot was perfectly placed and bounced into the empty net to spark some wild celebrations between the County support and Byrne on the half way line.
As the game finished the County players again took a well deserved applause from the travelling County fans, while Michael Gardyne made what looked like an emotional farewell.
This win also set a few records.
County's stretched their unbeaten run to 34 league games
County's lead at the top of the First Division finished at a record 24 points gap over second placed Dundee
County have now recorded a total of 1001 points in the SFL since joining in 1994.
Full Time : Queen of the South 3-5 Ross County
County Team: Fraser, Miller, Morrison, Boyd, Munro, Lawson, Gardyne (Byrne), Kettlewell, McMenamin (Corcoran), Brittain, Vigurs (Quinn)
Unused Subs: Malin, Craig
21
1.7 K
