Goram in over his head, but Lyle saves the day

ARBROATH 2

A PALMERSTON regular caused mirth in the main stand yesterday, when he suggested how appropriate it was that Specsavers were now sponsoring the referee and his assistants running the lines.

So inexplicable was the leniency on show that accusations of stigmatism, myopia and other eye aliments were commonplace.

However, this game had so much more to it than stand-up comedy. It was a thrilling encounter, which should have involved the home team securing a shoal of goals, and at the very least three much-needed points in their campaign to stay in the First Division for more than one season.

Instead, the Queens strike force failed to penetrate a very disciplined visiting defence of which Arbroath manager Paul Brownlie should be proud. Indeed, for much of the match the traffic went via a single lane.

Queen of the South had countless opportunities to make their mark but, in the final analysis, it was the former Scotland goalkeeper, the one and only Andy Goram, who determined the course of the match by straying so far off his line, you would have thought that he was orienteering.

The eventual man of the match, Derek Lyle, opened the scoring in five minutes when Joe McAlpine sent a corner kick that was flicked on to Lyle by John O’Neill.

However, the homesters held the lead for a mere three minutes - until Steven Bowey made a bad clearance and allowed Ross Currie to drill in a defence-splitting low ball.

Skilful Paul Shields, on loan at Palmerston for the season from Celtic, looked likely to score for Queens on several occasions, but the rest of the half was a tale of great expectations but missed opportunities.

Lyle nearly made it 2-1 in the first minute of the second half from a McAlpine lay-off, but Red Lichties keeper, Craig Hinchcliffe, made a remarkable save.

In 53 minutes Goram turned Clown Prince and cost his team dearly after he strayed from his goal and allowed Andy Cargill to lob him from the halfway line.

Two minutes later, Lyle equalised by taking advantage of a Weatherston shot which was only parried by Hinchcliffe.