I was in Glasgow at the weekend for a Fairport Convention concert (remember them?) and, while my other half insisted on some retail therapy on Saturday afternoon, I took myself off to Hampden to watch Queen’s Park try to close the gap on Division Two league leaders Arbroath.
I was interested to compare the fourth tier of Scottish League football with the Highland League.
I have been to Hampden many times over the years but never in a crowd of 729.
My misgivings about lack of atmosphere were unfounded as I found myself amongst an enthusiastic and passionate group of Spiders’ supporters all grouped together in one section of the main stand.
And what a friendly bunch they were. I am indebted to Stewart Spencer for looking after me and for confirming that Locos’ match at Forres had been cancelled. I was too late to pick up a team sheet, but the two guys in the club shop gave me a hand-written note of the Queen’s Park team.
The supporters next to me kept me right regarding the players on the pitch. The Highland League prides itself on friendly and family spirit, but if Hampden on Saturday was representative of League Two hospitality, then it is a very positive comparison.
On a freezing cold day this was Scottish football at the grassroots and the standard of play was good.
Queen’s produced their best performance of the season (according to my local pals) and scored two good goals within the first 20 minutes.
They could have added to those had it not been for some bad luck at the end of some fine flowing moves. As league leaders, Arbroath disappointed and were surprisingly lacklustre up front.
Both teams had sloppy spells, but it was entertaining. It is always difficult to compare standards, but I saw no reason to believe that Inverurie Locos and other leading Highland teams are not on a par with both sides. They would, however, have to be on the top of their form to beat them.
I once saw the former Aberdeen player Ian Scanlon hit the post from four yards in front of an empty goal for Notts County against Bristol City.
I never thought I would ever see a more glaring miss, but Murray of Arbroath surpassed that on Saturday as he sclaffed a simple tap-in with the goalkeeper missing, contriving to scoop the ball upwards and sideways midway through the second-half.
Everyone knew at that point that it was just not going to be Arbroath’s day and Queen’s duly ran out 2-1 winners. Scottish League strikers are every bit as fallible as those in the Highland League!