Competitive football returned to Palmerston this evening as Queens played their first home game of the 2017-18 season, but for the majority of the 1055 crowd, the game did not go the way they expected as Lowland League side, East Kilbride, kept the game scoreless and then to further the frustration of the Palmerston faithful, pinched the extra point by winning the penalty shoot-out that followed. The game should never have needed to go to penalty kicks as Queens largely dominated the game, but after creating several good chances and hitting the woodwork on more than one occasion, it turned out to be one of those nights where nothing would happen for Queens and even in the spot kick shoot-out there was an air of inevitability that it wasn`t going to be their night.
Following the opening day win at Stenhousemuir, Queens made two changes to their starting line-up with Derek Lyle and Connor Murray taking the place of both Lyndon Dykes, and Callum Tapping respectively. All four new signings, Alan Martin, Callum Fordyce, Shaun Rooney, and Andy Stirling made their home debuts as Queens in the usual 4-4-2 formation attacked the Terregles Street end of the ground in the opening half. The first few minutes of the game were all about both teams adapting to the warm conditions and the first shot in anger was fired well wide by Winter as the visitors broke clear, but from that point onwards the half belonged entirely to Queens as they did everything but score as they created chance after chance.
Shaun Rooney looked lively going forward and it was his mazy run after 10 minutes that saw Queens win their first corner. The ball in from Murray was well defended but when Queens launched a fresh attack Stephen Dobbie and Andy Stirling exchanged passes on the edge of the box and the former Dumbarton man came very close to giving the hosts a perfect start but his side footed effort shaved the outside of the far post after beating the sprawling dive of `keeper McGinley. That was the first of several chances that followed in quick succession as a Derek Lyle header, then a low shot from Dobbie, and a close range header once again from Dobbie all went close as the home side looked to make the breakthrough.
Mid-way through the half came the best opportunity. Dobbie`s delightful ball into the path of Lyle looked certain to lead to the opening goal, but the normally reliable striker somehow dragged his effort from close range wide of the target.
On the half-an-hour mark Queens were awarded a free kick following a foul on Murray, and centrally positioned, 25 yards from goal it seemed to be a perfect scenario for the right boot of Stephen Dobbie, but unfortunately it was to be another almost but not quite as Dobbie`s effort although beating the `keeper, did not finish between the posts.
Lyle beats the keeper but also the post
For all the dominance that Queens were showing with the score still level there was always the chance that EK could cause a problem on the break, and they almost did so when a well weighted pass from Strachan split the Queens defence but a good starting position and decisive decision making by Alan Martin saw the new Queens `keeper speed off his line to gather the ball confidently. As half-time approached a tempting cross from Rooney saw Queens win their second corner and after the set-piece was initially repelled, John Rankin`s returned pass back to Murray allowed the youngster to find Dobbie 10- yards from goal, but some excellent defending by EK skipper, Russell,blocked Dobbie`s effort which almost certainly prevented the home side from going ahead.
HALF-TIME QUEENS 0-0 EAST KILBRIDE
The second period started with Queens winning an early corner but after the set-piece broke down the visitors almost capitalised as they tried to counter attack. John Rankin slipped whilst in possession and after making his way to the edge of the box Caldwell tried his luck and attempted to beat Martin at his near post, but the Queens `keeper reacted well to save comfortably. Queens went close again after 52 minutes when a pass from Fordyce picked out Dobbie who received the ball and turned past his man all in one movement before drilling a low shot just past the far upright.
The clearest opportunity of the second half followed minutes later. Jordan Marshall, and Dobbie combined well to force a corner and from Murray`s pinpoint delivery, Kyle Jacobs arrived at pace to power a header over the bar from 6-yards out.
Jacobs heads over
The missed chances were starting to add up, and with the game moving towards it`s final phase, Queens looked to their bench in the hope that a change might be the answer, and a double substitution was made with Lyndon Dykes, and Callum Tapping replacing Lyle, and Rankin.
Possession wise, the game belonged to Queens, and on chances created Queens were also well ahead, but were it mattered, there was nothing to split the teams, and it was the hosts who looked the more likely to find the breakthrough as they continued to launch attack after attack. Andy Stirling was next to lead an attack and his break down the left eventually led to Murray finding Dobbie in a bit of space, but once again Queens leading striker could only look on in dismay as his hooked attempt bounced only inches wide.
As they had done earlier in the game, the visitors launched a quick break that was only ended by a foul, and from a promising position they really should have at least tested Martin, but Strachan`s drive went straight into the Queens defensive wall and no harm came from what looked to be a good opportunity for the Lowland League side.
If further proof was needed that tonight wasn`t going to be Queens` night it came from their very next attack. Some excellent passing football ended when Dobbie found Murray on the right and the youngster showed good skill and composure before curling a shot from just inside the penalty area past the out-stretched hand of the `keeper, but frustratingly for all in blue the ball crashed against the base of the post before being cleared away by a relieved defender.
With the option of a penalty shoot-out fast approaching, unbelievably, Queens hit the woodwork again. Lyndon Dykes showed a good turn of pace to collect a long ball and then found Dobbie with a neat flicked pass but Dobbie was once again out of luck as his low drive smashed against the post. In the dying minutes Queens went close again when Rooney`s ball across the face of the goal was just crying out to be tapped in but even the long legs of Dykes could not apply the finishing touch and the game ended scoreless and moved to a penalty shoot-out to decide who would claim the extra point.
EK took the first spot kick, which was duly scored by Strachan, and when Kyle Jacobs stepped up and smashed the ball against the bar the visitors took an early advantage. Sub Ferris then scored for EK, and when Callum Tapping`s awful effort was easily saved the writing was starting to appear on the wall. Hughes made it 3 from 3 for the visitors, and although Stephen Dobbie kept us in it, thirty-seconds later the extra point was going back to East Kilbride as another sub, McNeil wrapped up the shoot-out win.
The winning penalty
Delighted with the win
Still plenty to play for in this tournament and with two games to go, all Queens have to do is work on converting some of the many chances that they have been creating, yes tonight was quite disappointing and the failure to win frustrating, but on another occasion we could have won by four or five.