What was the attendance?
I'm kind of in agreement with Bagapapa's earlier posts, the opening 25 minutes were reminiscent of Naysmith's tactics of containment and we were fortunate not to concede at least one goal in that period. Raith won a few corners in that spell and our defence looked panic-stricken at each of them. Doyle came off second best on the ground and in the air and for someone signed as a right-back he looked lost in that position. Marshall on the other side was also under pressure a lot of the time, this resulted in Murray on the right and Todd on the left playing deeper to help in defence. Once we weathered that period however we controlled the game, Doyle and Marshall began to get forward which allowed Todd and Murray to perform further up the park. Second half we controlled the game quite easily, and it was more a Johnston style of play which only needed a deserved goal or two to make it a perfect finish to what has been a frustrating season. I get that the end result of the game is the main thing but let's not gloss over the poor play in the first half.
I actually thought that Johnston got it right in terms of his tactics and after coping with a battering in the first 30 minutes, Queens eased into the match and could have been 2 or 3-o up by half time.
How we didn't manage to score in the second half is a complete mystery, - and for me young Connor Murray was a stand out.
My only criticism of Johnston was the inexplicable lack of substitutes when the legs were tiring. He may not have a high opinion of Stirling, - but he should have been brought on with 20 minutes to go to completely finish Raith off.
I think we can say for certain that Andy Stirling will not be offered another contract.
You say we coped with the early battering Jardi, I say we survived it and were lucky to do so, hardly inspiring tactics IMO. I agree re the substitutes, some of our players were out on their feet, young Murray especially after he took a knock. As others have hinted at, the players left on the bench is maybe an indication of who Johnston doesn't want here next season.
Auld Chippy, I suspect that was the problem. However, given that Josh Todd is going (or was going) to Dundee, - then I'd have replaced him with Stirling, - even though young Connor was knackered. Murray was quite outstanding, - particularly in the second half and he deserved a goal.
Don't think the AJ wanted to change the team when they were so far on top, remember what happened on Wed night Raith came right back into the game as soon as Queens made substitutions. The manager got the 2nd leg spot on dropping Murray slightly further back in a 442 formation rather than a more attacking line up of 433 like Wed night.
Quite surprised by your description of Queens taking a battering in the first thirty minutes as I can only recall them having one half chance in that period after which we took the ascendancy and controlled the game. We were extremely unlucky not to have scored but we were extremely comfortable for the whole of the second half and ultimately strolled the match winning the play off with plenty in hand.