A comfortable four goal victory saw Queens progress to the next round of the IrnBru Cup as struggling league one side Airdrie were swept aside in comprehensive fashion. Gary Naysmith`s side dominated most of the game that turned into a one sided affair from the moment the hosts took the lead, and the only real surprise was the fact that having built up a three goal advantage at the break,it took virtually the whole of the second period for Queens to add to their score.
Following Saturday`s disappointment at Tannadice, Queens made four changes to their starting line-up. `Keeper Jack Leighfield made his first start along with St.Johnstone loanees, Jason Kerr, and Chris Kane, whilst Danny Carmichael began in place of Callum Tapping as a 4-3-1-2 system was deployed with Stephen Dobbie playing behind the strike pairing of Lyle and Kane.
The opening seconds were almost costly for Queens as an error from Kerr allowed Airdrie to create a chance for themselves but when the ball was whipped into the box by Loudon, a header from Russell went wide. Thankfully Queens settled quickly and after that early incident,although the visitors did enjoy some decent spells of possession, they were unable to trouble the home defence.As the game progressed Jordan Marshall down the left wing seemed to be Queens preferred attacking option, and the full back was heavily involved in the early stages and following his initial break forward Dobbie had the ball in the net but the flag was raised for offside.
Our next attack saw Chris Kane go close to opening his goalscoring account when put clear by Dobbie, but his shot was straight at the `keeper who stood up well to make the save. Fortunately that chance was not to prove costly as from our next attack the breakthrough arrived and again it was Marshall who was instrumental in the move. Breaking at pace down the left, Marshall skipped past the last defender and delivered a perfect cross into the box that was swept home on the half-volley by the onrushing Derek Lyle.
Lyle breaks the deadlock
Lyle celebrates with provider Marshall
With Queens now ahead and the tempo of the game increased it was almost attack against defence, and Stephen Dobbie almost doubled the lead after Kyle Jacobs and Marshall worked an opening for him, but the striker`s neat turn and shot saw his effort crash against the post.
The first corner of the game was gifted to Queens on 25 minutes, and sadly for the visitors we made them pay for their error. Jordan Marshall`s in-swinging delivery was met perfectly by the head of debutant Jason Kerr whose firm header from close range flew past `keeper Ferguson.
Ferguson cannot stop Kerrs header
A rare Airdrie break saw them win a free-kick, and former Queens man, Ryan Conroy, had the chance to test Jack Leighfield, but his shot from fully 30-yards out was never troubling the young Queens `keeper. A minute before the interval Queens booked their passage into the next round and once again a set-piece did the damage, and once again it was the impressive Marshall whose pacy run won the corner. This time Dan Carmichael was over the set-piece and his delivery was equally as good as Marshall`s had been previously and he picked out Darren Brownlie who guided a header past Ferguson to score for the second Palmerston game in a row.
`Goal machine` Brownlie heads home number three
Right on the stroke of half-time Conroy had another long distance free-kick attempt, but although he kept his shot on target, Leighfield was able to save with ease.
HALF-TIME QUEENS 3-0 AIRDRIE
An ambitious attempt from Brown at the start of the half was just about the highlight of the next period for the visitors as Queens soon began to assume control of the game and as they pressed forward with attack after attack it appeared that further goals would follow. The fact that they didn`t was largely down to Queens` poor finishing as several times through the half it seemed certain that the lead would be increased. The ball did end up in the net for the fifth time when Marshall and Rankin combined to set up Lyle but the striker moved just a fraction too soon and was flagged for offside.
The chances were coming with every attack and Dobbie was the next to go close. Callum Fordyce sent a long ball through to Lyle and the striker`s headed flick fell nicely for Dobbie to hit on the half-volley, but his attempt was well wide.
St.Johnstone loanee, Chris Kane, showed some confident touches and his positional play was quite impressive, and an angled drive from just inside the penalty box wasn`t too far away from finding the net. There was a brief respite for the visitors when they forced two corners in quick succession, but Queens defended them comfortably before once again launching another attack. This next attack was only halted by foul means which set up a shooting chance for Dobbie, but his shot although on target,was comfortably saved. Queens went to the bench and made two changes when Andy Stirling, and Connor Murray, replaced both John Rankin, and Derek Lyle.
The next opportunity created by Dobbie`s excellent through ball sent Kane clear with only the `keeper to beat, but once again the chance went begging as Kane drove his shot straight at the Airdrie shot stopper, and when on 70 minutes Marshall gained possession inside the box and fed Dobbie a goal looked certain, but not for the first time in the game the chance was passed up as Dobbie`s precise shot skipped wide of the far post. Queens third and final change of the night saw Shaun Rooney come on for Fordyce, and two minutes from full time the fourth goal finally arrived when Shaun Rooney got on the end of a precise cross from Carmichael to power home another header to complete the scoring for the night.
Rooney heads home