Queen's Park vs Arbroath - Preview

The season starts for real tomorrow for Billy Stark's Spiders side as they take on John McGlashan's Arbroath at Hampden Park.

Last season, Arbroath pipped Queen's Park to the final play off spot in Division Three, by four points, and the Spiders will be looking for some revenge over the Angus side.

Last season, the record between the sides were slightly tipped in the favour of Arbroath. In the first three encounters of 2005/06 neither side could find a winner in draws. There was a 2-2 and a 0-0 at Hampden Park and a Tuesday night 1-1 at Gayfield. In the fourth and final match of the campaign the Gayfield side won 1-0, in a game the Spiders dominated, arguably the final blow which destroyed Queen's Park aspirations for the play offs.

Queen's go into the game without two key players, missing through suspension, first choice defenders Stephen Reilly and Paul Paton both picked up red cards on the last day at Berwick Rangers. Paton will miss the opening two matches for his straight red, and the two bookings picked up by Stephen Reilly rules him out of the opening game, he will be avaliable for the CIS Insurance Cup 1st Round tie against Hamilton Accies on Tuesday night.

Also out is Tommy Murray, after chipping a bone in his foot and damaging ankle ligaments at the end of last season, he will be out for around three further weeks. As is Mark Cairns, whose work commitments rule him out.