Queens were held to a scoreless draw in a cup for a second successive weekend today in Montrose. The home side, who came within 3 minutes of beating us in the Irn Bru Cup last month, again proved capable opponents, very difficult to break down and offering a threat on the break themselves. In the end both clubs will possibly feel they had chances to win but the general feeling in both camps seemed to be that a draw was fair and we`ll go again on Tuesday at Palmerston.

Gary Naysmith made three changes to the side beaten on penalties at TNS. Captain John Rankin had recovered from illness and replaced Callum tapping in the middle of the park whilst Andy Stirling and Derek Lyle replaced Connor Murray and Lyndon Dykes in the starting line up. With Jason Kerr and Chris Kane not allowed to play by St Johnstone there was also a place on the bench for Owen Bell this week. Montrose were also a little different with three changes from the previous meeting. Out had gone captain Paul Watson, goalscorer Terry Masson and the experienced Chris Templeman, who were all on the bench having been replaced by Martyn Fotheringham, Jamie Redman and Craig Johnston.

Stirling is challenged

Queens came very close to opening the scoring in 6 minutes when Dobbie got in on the left and from a narrow angle fired the ball across the face of goal just in front of Derek Lyle but the veteran striker couldn`t quite reach the ball and the chance was gone. Montrose though probably had more of the threat in the early part of the game with Cammy Ballantyne shooting into the side netting. Craig Johnston`s shot partially blocked by Fordyce and caught above his head by Martin and Fordyce later clearing away from his own line after some combination of Craig Johnston and Shaun Rooney had headed a bal back across the face of goal. The half ended with captain John Rankin down for treatment for a head knock.

Lyle is inches away from connecting

When the second half started Rankin was back in the fray. Queens had by now taken control of the majority of the possession as the home side`s early enthusiasm began to fade but there was no great penetration and after an hour the first change arrived when Lyndon Dykes replaced Stirling. The big Aussie went up front with Lyle and soon after Connor Murray replaced McFadden who hadn`t been able to influence the game as much as he had in Oswestry last weekend. The two youngsters injected some pace into the Queens game and Montrose were always on the back foot for the rest of the game. With 12 minutes remaining Dobbie`s free kick went through the wall but was well held by Fleming as Lyle looked to snaffle the rebound and two minutes later a Fordyce header from a free kick was clutched on the line again by Fleming.

It looked like the match was going to fade out to a draw but with 4 minutes left young Ross Fergusson replaced Lyle and as the 90 minutes ticket over he really should have made himself an instant matchwinner. Dykes did well to win the ball in what looked a lost cause from an overhit cross and, with the home side desperately claiming for a free kick that never came, he cut the ball back in from out wide. It looked like Fergusson had a tap in from 5 yards out but the ball bobbled and he somehow skied it over the crossbar with Fleming stranded. In the end though a draw was fair for all the possession we had and dominance in shots.

Rooney despairs as Fergussons effort goes high over the bar

The replay will be this coming Tuesday, November 21st, at Palmerston with a 7:45pm kick off.