QoS 4-0 Linlithgow Rose

Jan 13 2008 Scott Mcdermott At Palmerston Park

Skipper Mark Has A Pop At Mcarthur After Crucial Miss

GUTTED Rose skipper Mark Bradley last night promised teammate Stuart McArthur a barrage of abuse for the miss that could have hauled the Junior side back into this cup tie.

Rose were well beaten by a classy Queens side but at 3-0 down McArthur wasted a golden chance to pull a crucial goal back.

Instead of shooting from six yards out he dummied the ball for Brian Carrigan who couldn't reach it.

It was Jim Sinnett's side's only hope of a reprieve after being put to the sword by the Dumfries men in the first half.

Skipper Bradley, Rose's top player on the day, joked that McArthur - who then scored an own goal late in the game - would receive plenty of stick on the road back to Linlithgow.

He said: "I don't know what Stuart was thinking. I think he got a shout to dummy it but he knows he should have had the shot.

"We've not said anything to him yet but I can assure you it will start the minute we leave. He'll get it bad on the bus home, don't worry about that.

"I thought we started well but the first goal took the wind out of us and it was maybe a handball.

"But you can't take it away from Stephen Dobbie, it was an excellent finish and that's the difference at this level. Top strikers take their chances."

Rose gaffer Sinnett was full of praise for his side's efforts but wasn't happy with the opener after Dobbie appeared to handle before slotting home.

He said: "I'm proud of them because I thought we played well. It certainly looked like a handball from where we were so that's disappointing.

"But we knocked the ball about when we could and had a few chances, especially in the second half.

"This has been a tremendous experience, we've really enjoyed it and I hope we've proved to a few people we should be in the Scottish Cup.

"The boys have had a taste of it so I've told them if they want it again we'll have to win our league or the Junior Cup to get back in next year."

The banner draped along the empty terracing at Palmerston read "Hail the Gallant" and Rose deserve all the credit in the world for the way they've played and behaved in their first attempt at the senior cup.

But even the junior champions will hold their hands up this morning and admit they were outclassed by a better side yesterday.

A travelling band of almost 1000 fans from Linlithgow made the long trip to Dumfries and genuinely believed they could cause a major upset.

They unveiled a message "Tosh isn't in it so why's he in it?" aimed at Queens midfielder Steve who claimed last week Rose shouldn't be in the competition. He may have been totally wrong but he had the last laugh yesterday.

When Dobbie grabbed the opening goal Rose had a decent shout for a freekick in the build-up.

He seemed to handle as he pulled the ball down inside the box before rifling past Greig Logan.

Five minutes later Queens doubled their lead. Robert Harris' whipped corner was met by Jim Thomson and his downward header ended up in the top corner.

The third goal was inevitable and it came five minutes before the break.

Sean O'Connor evaded his marker 18 yards out and coolly stroked the ball into the rigging.

Sinnet had always said if his team were losing he would go for it and he did exactly that in the second half.

After McArthur's howler, Carrigan saw his wicked free-kick beat keeper Jamie McDonald but cannon back off the bar.

As Linlithgow pushed forward they were always going to leave holes at the back and Dobbie could have had another three goals within 10 minutes. He blasted a shot wide before Logan denied him twice with point-blank stops.

At the other end Ian McSween thought he had scored with a header but Neil MacFarlane was there to clear it off the line.

Rose deserve praise for the way they never gave up but that man Tosh killed the game stone dead with 15 minutes left.

He drove into the box and hammered in a cross that was touched into his own net by the unfortunate McArthur.

Queens boss Gordon Chisholm was delighted with his side's professional display and would love a derby clash with Gretna in the next round.

He said: "It was a potential upset but I told the boys it was about what we did and they went about it in the right manner.

"We could have scored more but credit to Rose because they never gave up and showed great character.

"I would have liked a home tie in the draw but it's Morton or Gretna away.

"No one ever likes going to Cappielow but a game against Gretna would be more attractive because it's a big derby down here."