Peterhead were the visitors for our first home game of the league one campaign. Manager, Nicky Clark returned to the side along with Caleb Goldie after sitting out the match at East Kilbride through injury and there was a debut for Brodie Dair who joined on loan from Fulham. Ben Johnstone, Aaron Davis and trialist, Rocco McColm dropped to the bench, making up the three changes from last week.
It was the visitors who had the better start and Deniz Mehmet made his first save after three minutes, when he got down to save a header from Robel Teklemichael.
Eight minutes later Goldie played a good ball down the right channel for Cole Coughlin to chase, the youngster was fouled but no free-kick was forthcoming.
Possession was fairly even in the first fifteen minutes but it was Peterhead who had the better chances and as Blair Yule had a strike from outside the area, Mehmet made a great save to push it out for a corner. The delivery was cleared but with the ball still alive, the keeper saved from Dylan Forrest.
Queens hit back and after a good passage of play, Liam Smith laid it back for Zander Mackenzie who hit a right foot shot just wide of the post.
Midway through the half, Coughlin did well to keep the ball out on the wing and as he cut inside it was cleared for a corner. Back at the other end Yule hit another effort from just outside the box, that Mehmet parried away but with the ball not out, Forrest fired well over the bar.
On the half hour mark, Queens won a free-kick, Clark took the set-piece and as he curled the ball over the wall, it was inches to high and cleared the crossbar.
With four minutes of the first half remaining, the visitors took the lead when Lyall Keir played a cross ball over the top, it caught out the central defence and Cammy Smith controlled with his right and finished with his left to open the scoring.
The last chance before the break fell to the home side when they won another free-kick but this time the wall did its job and cleared.
HALF TIME: Queens 0 Peterhead 1
As the second half got underway it was Peterhead with the first chance when four minutes after the restart, Forrest curled a right foot shot wide.
Two minutes later, Goldie crossed from the right but the ball dropped just behind Clark. It was better from Queens and as Jack Stott played a through pass for Taylor Charters, Jason Brown blocked for a corner inside the box.
It was good pressure from Queens and Dair won another corner for his side before Coughlin had a couple of efforts blocked.
Midway through the half, Charters found himself in the 18-yard area but this time his left foot shot was too high. Queens were pushing and Coughlin had another chance cleared and as Smith played in the corner, Charters got his head on it but headed over.
Yule fired a shot just wide before Mackenzie crossed and Goldie headed it back into the danger area only for Brown to hook it clear. Substitute, Johnstone earned his side a free-kick but as Stott played it in Jack Newman collected.
With fifteen minutes remaining, Queens were denied what looked like a stonewall penalty. Stott switched the play from the left-hand side to Coughlin on the right, he used his head to knock the ball the other side of defender Tobias Browne and as they both made their way to the by-line, they both fell but with the ball still in play, Coughlin jumped up to get back on it before having the feet taken from him by the grounded defender. Queens players and fans instantly claimed for the spot-kick but the man in the middle, Graham Grainger waved play on.
Frustrated Queens continued to push and with ninety minutes on the clock, they had everyone including Mehmet inside the box looking to scramble home a corner, that didn’t come to fruition and neither did their final attempt of the game in added on time when Charters played the ball into the box and as Newman went to catch, he let the ball through his hands for another corner. But as soon as that was taken, the ref blew for full-time.
FULL TIME: Queens 0 Peterhead 1
Teams:
Queens: Mehmet, Goldie, Charters, Stott, Smith, Mackenzie, Clark, Dair (Johnstone 65), Rogerson, Coughlin & Ellis. Subs not used: Petry, McQueen, Davis, Gray, Morton, Thomson & Trialist.
Peterhead: Newman, Strachan, J Brown, Yule, Keir (Jacobs 54), Carnwath (T Browne 63), Smith (Searle 75), Forrest, Ross, Teklemichael (To 54) & Kerr. Subs not used: McKelvie, Carrol, Mackie & Luyeye.
Ref: Graham Grainger
Crowd: 945