Albion Rovers 2 - 0 Queen's Park: Rovers take place in final

Published on Friday 13 May 2011 20:02

Albion win 3-1 on aggregate

ALBION Rovers booked their place in the Second Division play-off final with a deserved if somewhat edgy win over Queen's Park. Paul Martin and his players would not have been too concerned with the grim almost unwatchable manner of the win as at this stage of season the right result is all that matters.

Buoyed not only by home advantage, but also their late first-leg leveller at Hampden in midweek, Rovers opened far brighter than their amateur opponents who, with a welter of injuries to contend with, looked a yard off the pace and bereft of any creative spark. However, despite having a plentiful supply of possession, the Coatbridge men struggled to get in behind a visiting defence expertly marshalled by 45-year-old Andy Millen, and had only a tenth-minute miscue by the usually-reliable Scott Chaplain when he ought to have opened the scoring to reflect upon at the end of a one-sided half.

Queen's were a little better after the break, having adopted a more direct approach on an arid, bumpy pitch, although it would be unfair to completely blame the surface for the dross both sides offered up to a sizeable crowd in Cliftonhill. Rovers had been the better team throughout, having played what little there was passing as football, and it was fitting the breakthrough went their way.

John Gemmell bullied marker Ricky Little into submission and fired Rovers into the lead midway through the second period. Knowing his team's promotion hopes were quickly evaporating, Gardner Speirs rang the Queen's Park changes in a bid to force extra-time, however this left spaces at the back and allowed Gemmell to charge through and seal it with a last-gasp second.