Goals from Shaun Rooney, Derek Lyle, Chris Kane and a Stephen Dobbie double proved too much for Berwick Rangers.

 

Queens made four changes from the side who comfortably dispatched Falkirk last week. Young goalkeeper Jack Leighfield made his second start of the season. Shaun Rooney returned from injury as Jason Kerr was on international duty. Andrew Stirling and Derek Lyle both came into the starting eleven at the expense of Kyle Jacobs and Chris Kane.

 

The last time the Doonhamers played Berwick at Shielfield Park, the visitors ran out 5-1 victors in 2008 with braces from Stewart Kean and Sean O`Connor, and a Craig Barr strike.

 

It`s all change for the League Two side after the departure of long-serving manager John Coughlin. New gaffer Robbie Horn, a former Berwick player and assistant, took a backseat and watched from the stands.

 

It wasn`t a thrilling start to the contest that some would have hoped but Queens looked comfortable in possession. The first decent chance fell to the League Two outfit when Callum Tapping`s set-piece was cleared and sprayed across to Kevin McKinlay. His delivery was inch perfect into the path of Greg Rutherford inside the box but the target man was off-balance and his effort sailed wide of the target.

 

The visitors were reduced to half chances as they couldn`t break down the Berwick defence. Dobbie and Stirling both having their long range efforts parried away by home goalkeeper Robby McCrorie.

 

Queens did have another chance to go into the break ahead at half time when Dobbie used his skill to beat the Berwick defender and should have squared to Lyndon Dykes on his left. But the striker chose to go himself and ballooned his shot over the bar.

 

Referee Greg Aitken blew for the interval and to be honest it wasn`t a great half from the Doonhamers but never looked likely of conceding.

 

HALF TIME BERWICK 0-0 QOS

 

Whatever Gary Naysmith said to his side at half time cleared worked as the team came out with more pace and determination in their play. A lovely one-two between Lyle and Dobbie looked to have opened space for the latter but his shot was nicked at the last moment and went into the path of the keeper.

 

It was a sign of what was to come from the Dumfries men as Rooney played another superb one-two with Lyle which slid the right back into the box and made no mistake of smashing home his third goal of the season from 12-yards on 53 minutes.

 

Rooney fires home the opener

 

A delighted Shaun Rooney

 

Dykes nearly doubled the visitors advantage seconds later but Dykes missed from close range after a great ball from Dobbie.

 

The Doonhamers did made it two on 58 minutes when the Dykes and Dobbie linked up again. The Australian gave Dobbie the ball, used his run as a decoy, that opened up space for Dobbie to run past the two defenders and slot the ball past the oncoming keeper.

 

Dobbie threads the ball between the defender and keeper

 

Dobbie celebrates his first of the afternoon

 

Queens weren`t done there and made it three two minutes later when Tapping`s short corner was helped into the box by Dobbie and Lyle beat his marker to go one away from equalling Andy Thomson and becoming the joint all-time third top goalscorer.

 

Lyle steers the ball into the net to make it three

 

Over 200 Queens goals between them

 

The hosts did make a half chance during the Queens blitz when captain Pat Scullion`s chipped effort was well held by the keeper.

 

Lyle and Dobbie would link-up again this time the Tan Man`s back-heel set up Dobbie from 20-yards and his low powerful effort couldn`t be stopped by the Berwick stopper.

 

No stopping Dobbie for his second

 

 

It should have been five when sub Chris Kane went one-on-one with the keeper but his shot was well saved. Kane did make up for his miss and rounded off the scoring for the 621 in attendance as he rounded McCrorie and netted his first goal in Queens colours on 87 minutes.

 

Kane rounds the keeper to slam home the fifth

 

Dobbie congratulates Kane on his first Queens goal

 

FULL TIME BERWICK 0-5 QOS

 

Queens make it through to Tuesday`s draw and our next game is back to league duty when we face Livingston at the Tony Macaroni Stadium.