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Sat 13 May 2017
Queen of the South
Dalbeattie Star
1
2
R Maxwell (0'), J Slattery (0')
Dalbeattie Star v Queen of the South
David McDonald2 Jun 2019 - 14:09
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Match report
FAIRYTALE OF GALABANK
Dalbeattie Star picked up their first piece of silverware in four years as they ended the 2016/17 season with a fully merited win over Queen of the South in the Challenge Cup Final. The way the team has performed throughout the season and for all the hard work put in by the management and players, then this success is the least they deserved.
It was also an emotional afternoon for a number of the Star contingent with three players retiring from the game altogether and a couple of others moving on to pastures new. It has to be said though that whoever writes Ritchie Maxwell’s scripts for him, was pushing it a bit far when in his last ever match he would captain the side in a cup final, score the winning goal as well as collect his customary yellow card. However Ritchie played his part to perfection and make it an afternoon to remember. It perhaps wasn’t the ideal ending for Craig Fergusson as he was an unused substitute but his lack of game time in the last month or so coupled with the tightness of the match, meant there was no room for sentimentality in Darren Kerr’s substitutions. But Fergie has been a brilliant player for Star in the last nine years or so and will be fondly remembered for this by all of the Star faithful. The emotion of the occasion also got the better of Danny Dunglinson at the final whistle and he is another quality player who will be greatly missed. Other players have decided to move on including Lee Wells who has spent quite a number of years at Islecroft and if he was to have a change of heart then he would be welcomed back with open arms.
Both teams lined up with strong starting XI’s and Queens had six players with first team experience in their line up. There was a strong blustery wind at Galabank and both teams struggled to cope with the difficult conditions. Despite this Star almost got off to the perfect start when in the 2nd minute Jamie McHarrie’s cross fell to Dunglinson at the edge of the box but his drive went just over. Queens went even closer soon after when the Star defence misjudged a cross from the right and Owen Moxon ghosted in at the back post but his header came off the underside of the bar and the ball was eventually cleared. Chances were few and far between as the wind threatened to become the real winner and ruin the match as a spectacle. However with five minutes of the first half left the deadlock was broken completely out of the blue. The wind again contributed to the Queens defence losing possession as Joe Slattery collected the ball wide on the left. He then dribbled past full back Ewan Gourlay and charged into the penalty area and from a tight angle placed his shot past Jack Leighfield just inside the far post. This caused scenes of great celebrations and the hope was this would settle down the Star and they would begin to play the way we know they can. Seconds into first half stoppage time though it was back to all square when Star failed to clear a corner and the ball was headed back across goal by Ayrton Sonkur and there was Scott Hooper to head home from close range.
Star came out for the second half with the wind in their back and immediately had the Queens defence under some pressure. There were some hopeful penalty appeals within seconds of the re-start when Dunglinson went down after a challenge by ex-Star loanee Bob Murray but the defender just got a touch on the ball to knock it out for a corner. From the resultant kick James Baty did brilliantly to retrieve the over hit kick and beat two players tight on the touchline. He then drove into the area and cut the ball back to Maxwell who saw his first time effort saved by the left foot of Leighfield. However Ritchie showed great strikers instinct and followed up his own effort and fired home the rebound. The subsequent celebrations saw the captain charge down the park towards the Star support followed by his team mates and rarely in all his time at Islecroft has he ever ran faster.
This time there was little chance of Star conceding so soon after scoring and indeed they quickly went looking to double their advantage. Tommy Muir went close as he saw his effort turned away for a corner and minutes later Lewis Sloan went even closer when he took advantage of another defensive error caused by the wind and clipped the ball past Leighfield but watched in agony as the ball went inches past the post. Queens were struggling to make any impression on the Star defence and just short of the hour Lee Wells fired in a superb 25 yard strike that shaved the paintwork off the right hand post. Star was in control of matters now but as long as the lead stayed at one goal the match was always on a knife edge. The closest Queens came to an equaliser was in the 72nd minute when Vinnie Parker produced an excellent save from Jay McInally’s shot but twice in the last five minutes Star went close themselves. It was something of a surprise when Lewis Sloan failed to score from a free kick but he was only a foot or so wide and Lee Wells seemed sure to score when his bullet of a header from close range was somehow held by Leighfield. Star had to withstand a nervy five minutes or so of stoppage time but survive it they did and the celebrations could begin in earnest.
For everyone involved in the club it was a fitting end to a fine season and for those not returning next season it was the perfect way to say goodbye. There will be changes in the management team as well with Ali Cathro hanging up his clipboard and he will be another who will be hard to replace. However in his short time in charge at the croft Darren Kerr has shown himself to be a shrewd operator who will not be phased by anything and he will see it as a challenge to not only match this seasons achievements but to improve on them. Close seasons seem to get shorter and shorter and before you know it the players will be back in for pre-season training and we will all be looking forward to 2017/18.
MON THE STAR!
DALBEATTIE STAR 2 QUEEN OF THE SOUTH 1
Slattery (40) Hooper (45+1)
Maxwell (47)
HT 1-1
DALBEATTIE STAR: Parker, Todd, Thorburn, Wells, Maxwell, Baty, McHarrie (Anderson 72), Dunglinson, Muir (Park 85), Sloan, Slattery (Degnan 76)
Subs not used: Fergusson, Wright
Yellow Cards: Dunglinson, Thorburn, Maxwell
QUEEN OF THE SOUTH: Leighfield, Gourlay (Akubuine 70), Hooper, Bell, Sonkur, R Murray, Brotherston, Moxon, Fergusson (Miller 36), C Murray, McInally
Subs not used: Uphill, White, Harvey, Copland
Ref: L Wilson
Assistants: M Williamson & R Williamson
Dalbeattie Star picked up their first piece of silverware in four years as they ended the 2016/17 season with a fully merited win over Queen of the South in the Challenge Cup Final. The way the team has performed throughout the season and for all the hard work put in by the management and players, then this success is the least they deserved.
It was also an emotional afternoon for a number of the Star contingent with three players retiring from the game altogether and a couple of others moving on to pastures new. It has to be said though that whoever writes Ritchie Maxwell’s scripts for him, was pushing it a bit far when in his last ever match he would captain the side in a cup final, score the winning goal as well as collect his customary yellow card. However Ritchie played his part to perfection and make it an afternoon to remember. It perhaps wasn’t the ideal ending for Craig Fergusson as he was an unused substitute but his lack of game time in the last month or so coupled with the tightness of the match, meant there was no room for sentimentality in Darren Kerr’s substitutions. But Fergie has been a brilliant player for Star in the last nine years or so and will be fondly remembered for this by all of the Star faithful. The emotion of the occasion also got the better of Danny Dunglinson at the final whistle and he is another quality player who will be greatly missed. Other players have decided to move on including Lee Wells who has spent quite a number of years at Islecroft and if he was to have a change of heart then he would be welcomed back with open arms.
Both teams lined up with strong starting XI’s and Queens had six players with first team experience in their line up. There was a strong blustery wind at Galabank and both teams struggled to cope with the difficult conditions. Despite this Star almost got off to the perfect start when in the 2nd minute Jamie McHarrie’s cross fell to Dunglinson at the edge of the box but his drive went just over. Queens went even closer soon after when the Star defence misjudged a cross from the right and Owen Moxon ghosted in at the back post but his header came off the underside of the bar and the ball was eventually cleared. Chances were few and far between as the wind threatened to become the real winner and ruin the match as a spectacle. However with five minutes of the first half left the deadlock was broken completely out of the blue. The wind again contributed to the Queens defence losing possession as Joe Slattery collected the ball wide on the left. He then dribbled past full back Ewan Gourlay and charged into the penalty area and from a tight angle placed his shot past Jack Leighfield just inside the far post. This caused scenes of great celebrations and the hope was this would settle down the Star and they would begin to play the way we know they can. Seconds into first half stoppage time though it was back to all square when Star failed to clear a corner and the ball was headed back across goal by Ayrton Sonkur and there was Scott Hooper to head home from close range.
Star came out for the second half with the wind in their back and immediately had the Queens defence under some pressure. There were some hopeful penalty appeals within seconds of the re-start when Dunglinson went down after a challenge by ex-Star loanee Bob Murray but the defender just got a touch on the ball to knock it out for a corner. From the resultant kick James Baty did brilliantly to retrieve the over hit kick and beat two players tight on the touchline. He then drove into the area and cut the ball back to Maxwell who saw his first time effort saved by the left foot of Leighfield. However Ritchie showed great strikers instinct and followed up his own effort and fired home the rebound. The subsequent celebrations saw the captain charge down the park towards the Star support followed by his team mates and rarely in all his time at Islecroft has he ever ran faster.
This time there was little chance of Star conceding so soon after scoring and indeed they quickly went looking to double their advantage. Tommy Muir went close as he saw his effort turned away for a corner and minutes later Lewis Sloan went even closer when he took advantage of another defensive error caused by the wind and clipped the ball past Leighfield but watched in agony as the ball went inches past the post. Queens were struggling to make any impression on the Star defence and just short of the hour Lee Wells fired in a superb 25 yard strike that shaved the paintwork off the right hand post. Star was in control of matters now but as long as the lead stayed at one goal the match was always on a knife edge. The closest Queens came to an equaliser was in the 72nd minute when Vinnie Parker produced an excellent save from Jay McInally’s shot but twice in the last five minutes Star went close themselves. It was something of a surprise when Lewis Sloan failed to score from a free kick but he was only a foot or so wide and Lee Wells seemed sure to score when his bullet of a header from close range was somehow held by Leighfield. Star had to withstand a nervy five minutes or so of stoppage time but survive it they did and the celebrations could begin in earnest.
For everyone involved in the club it was a fitting end to a fine season and for those not returning next season it was the perfect way to say goodbye. There will be changes in the management team as well with Ali Cathro hanging up his clipboard and he will be another who will be hard to replace. However in his short time in charge at the croft Darren Kerr has shown himself to be a shrewd operator who will not be phased by anything and he will see it as a challenge to not only match this seasons achievements but to improve on them. Close seasons seem to get shorter and shorter and before you know it the players will be back in for pre-season training and we will all be looking forward to 2017/18.
MON THE STAR!
DALBEATTIE STAR 2 QUEEN OF THE SOUTH 1
Slattery (40) Hooper (45+1)
Maxwell (47)
HT 1-1
DALBEATTIE STAR: Parker, Todd, Thorburn, Wells, Maxwell, Baty, McHarrie (Anderson 72), Dunglinson, Muir (Park 85), Sloan, Slattery (Degnan 76)
Subs not used: Fergusson, Wright
Yellow Cards: Dunglinson, Thorburn, Maxwell
QUEEN OF THE SOUTH: Leighfield, Gourlay (Akubuine 70), Hooper, Bell, Sonkur, R Murray, Brotherston, Moxon, Fergusson (Miller 36), C Murray, McInally
Subs not used: Uphill, White, Harvey, Copland
Ref: L Wilson
Assistants: M Williamson & R Williamson
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