Stranraer 1 Queen’s Park 1 – Lights Out on Spiders Scottish Cup Journey

QUEEN’S PARK slid out of the Scottish Gas Scottish Cup in a Stranraer mudbath, on sudden death penalty kicks.

The Spiders had led through Aidan Connolly but a second half equaliser from Dom Plank – after a 45-minute break for half-time and floodlight failure – sent the game to extra-time and penalties.

After all ten spot-kicks were scored in the shoot-out Lyndon Tas pushed Carlo Pignatiello’s 11th over the bar paving the way for the Blues’ winner that sealed a path to Ibrox in the fifth round.

Saturday’s postponement meant both knew what was at stake at Stair Park, and the pitch bore all the scars of the heavy weekend rainfall that denied the original fixture.

By the end it was an energy-sapping mudbath where both sides struggled to keep their feet.

The hosts forced into a substitution after just eight minutes when Jordan Stewart went down injured, defending the Spiders’ first corner.

Then three minutes and two chances later, the visitors were ahead.

Matty Shiels fired a drive from 20 yards over the bar but a minute later and from similar distance AIdan Connolly struck a low drive into the corner of the net after Henry Fieldson’s cross had been deflected into his path.

It was an ideal start on a tricky surface where passing was far from ideal.

Roddy MacGregor’s attempts to share the ball on the bobbly pitch was picked off and almost sparked a Stranraer attack until Matty Shiels mopped up and regained possession.

Stranraer would have a chance down their right, hitting the by-line behind Henry Fieldson but the Spiders saw off the danger and Cal Ferrie took the goal kick from his six-yard area which wasn’t half as cut up as the opposite end.

Josh Fowler had a claim for a penalty after 28 minutes thumping the ball against Matthew Gillies with the Blues defender trying to move his hand to avoid contact, but no penalty was forthcoming from ref Peter Stuart.

Stranraer went close on the half-hour, sub Aaron Quigg ghosting in to meet a bouncing cross from the Blues’ left and nodding onto the top of Ferrie’s crossbar.

It was a warning for Queen’s at just how dangerous the bounce on this surface could be and, to their credit, Ferrie’s goal was untroubled for the remainder of the half.

Henry Fieldson and Seb Drozd were both warned by the referee for challenges in front of the main stand, and the forward cautioned.

The next in the book was a Stranraer player, Max Gillies, for hauling down a charge down the right from Josh Fowler.

The free-kick was glanced onto the crossbar by James Dolan and the resulting corner should have brought a second for the Spiders.

An excellent delivery from Louis Longridge fell at the feet of Euan Murray. The ball bobbled to Matty Shiels who thumped at goal but the cluster of bodies on the line scrambled the ball away and maintained the one-goal difference at the break.

No sooner had the game resumed than the second half was stopped with the floodlights on the Stair Park main stand malfunctioned and the game suspended for 32 minutes.

After two attempts to restart the floodlights the game eventually restarted and after a scrappy restart by players idle for 45 minutes, the Spiders were picked off by Dominic Plank.

The midfielder picked up loose possession midway inside his own half and scampered forward. Carlo Pignatiello nicked the ball off his toe but Gillies prodded the ball back into his path. A quick burst took him into the box and despite the lunging tackle by Euan Murray the ball clipped the Spiders skipper and beat Calum Ferrie for the leveller.

Suddenly the outlook was much brighter for Stranraer and their cheering support, but the Spiders stars had yet to shine.

A brilliant block from Matty Shiels, not quite on the level of his last-gasp challenge against Dunfermline, but maybe just as important denied the Blues and then Deryn Lang tested Ferrie low from distance.

Seb Drozd showed some fantastic footwork that just lacked a finish less than a minute later and Lyndon Tas gathered easily.

Ricki Lamie was pitched in for Grant Savoury and Matty Shiels shifted to left-wing.

Louis Longridge had been spreading the play, as much as the park allowed, but he hauled down Deryn Lang on the charge and picked up another caution for the Spiders as his team-mates chased back.

By this stage extra-time – more added time – loomed large and conditions underfoot weren’t helping the visiting team’s case. Josh Fowler dug deep to spread the play but the ball didn’t fall, or slide, in their favour.

Stranraer clipped the top of Callum Ferrie’s bar again direct from a corner seven minutes from time and then the Spiders thought they’d won it.

The break of the ball did favour Fowler and he went one-on-one with Tas. The 18-goal striker stroked a left-foot shot at goal but the keeper smothered and Shiels was just beaten to the rebound.

The last thing Queen’s Park players needed in their schedule was an additional 30 minutes on an energy-sapping pitch, but that’s what they needed with a trip to Ibrox at stake.

Neither side could keep their footing as the rain poured, and Sean Crighton pitched Tyrece McDonnell in for Henry Fieldson.

Ricki Lamie had a header kicked off the line at a Roddy Macgregor corner in the final act of the first half of extra-time, and the soaked Spiders gathered round Sean Crighton.

They had the opening chance of the second 15, Tyrece McDonnell’s shot deflected out for a corner. Then the home side had one of their own and rattled Ferrie’s post from the next corner at the other end.

McDonnell had another go from distance, a strike that bounced awkwardly infront of Tas but he parried the ball out for a corner.

With a minute to go before penalties, Liam McLeish entered play, his clean shirt contrasting with the soaked and stained gear of his team-mates.

He stepped up first for the spot-kicks and sent the keeper the wrong way.

Mark Russell buried his spot-kick in response, before McDonnell and Quigg exchanged strikes.

Aidan Connolly maintained the 100 percent record and though Ferrie was close, he couldn’t reach Dom Plank’s effort.

Louis Longridge kept his cool for the fourth but ex-Spider Lewis Reid blasted the Blues back level.

With the fifth, Josh Fowler sent it to sudden death with Stranraer still to kick in the five – miss and the Spiders were through to face Rangers.  Dean Cleland sent it to sudden death proper with the tenth of ten penalties.

Carlo Pignatiello had his effort pushed over by Tas and the 12th penalty was netted by Lewis Hunter to send Stranraer to Ibrox.

QUEEN’S PARK: Ferrie, Pignatiello, Murray, Shiels, Fieldson (McDonnell 95), Longridge, Macgregor, Connolly, Savoury (Lamie 68), Drozd (McLeish 119), Fowler. Subs not used: Waugh, Friel, Sliwinski, McLean, Sowa.