After a comfortable 4-0 victory during pre-season at the Locality Hub Bayview Stadium, the visitors were hoping for a similar result. However, East Fife were on a six-match win streak prior to kick-off, and were keen for that to continue.

 

One enforced change saw Gary Harkins drop out due to injury - he was replaced by Adam Frizzell who was making his first start for the club. 

 

There was a positive reception for the Queens management team as they returned to Bayview for the first time competitively since joining Queens.

 

The opening spells of the game were dominated possession wise by the away side, with Andy Stirling in-particular looking bright. Although Queens struggled to create much, the defence were keeping East Fife at bay, whose front line was led by ex-Doonhamer, Kevin Smith.

 

A decent travelling support despite the weather

 

The crowd were starved of any real goal-mouth action in the opening half hour or so, with Frizzell having the best chance with a free-kick that flew over the bar. 

 

After 20 minutes it was the hosts who really began to start dictating things. And although they were beginning to create some decent openings in the final third, it ended up being a piece of magic that put them ahead.

 

In the 34th minute, captain Kevin Smith picked up a loose ball roughly 20-yards outside the area, before firing a powerful drive high into the net via the crossbar. There wasn?t too much Alan Martin could do about it, it was a genuine brilliant finish.

 

Martin beaten by Smith

 

The home side continued to put pressure on the Queens back-line, with Aaron Dunsmore getting in behind, however a poor first touch took him away from the goal.

 

 

Half time shenanigans as despite the very audible instruction to evacuate the stadium almost everyone remained in their seats - fortunately the fire brigade had nothing to do when they arrived

 

The score-line was probably a fair reflection of the first half, however Queens did have chances to score, but the final ball was lacking. 

 

The second-half began with Queens searching for an equaliser. The opening 30 minutes at the start of the second-half Queens really applied the pressure to East Fife. 

 

Lyndon Dykes went close twice; firstly with a blocked shot that looked destined for the net, and secondly a one-on-one opportunity that Brett Long in the East Fife goal done well to save. 

 

Dykes denied

 

Not long after, Queens had the ball in the net. A cross from the left hand side landed in-between Dykes and Long. It was the Queens man who won it, but referee Barry Cook adjudged Dykes to have fouled Long in winning the ball, just after Josh Todd had tapped the ball in.

 

Dykes is a little high and the subsequent ball in the net was disallowed

 

Owen Bell was brought on for Frizzell, meaning Todd went onto the wing, before Callum Fordyce made a return from injury replacing Scott Mercer after 70 minutes, moving Michael Doyle to right-back.

 

No penalty according to the referee.  A natural hand position if you are waving to someone in the crowd!

 

As Queens committed men forward for an equaliser, there was more space for the home side to get into. A long ball over the top was unconvincingly cleared by Martin, who was came out 30 yards to do so, before Kevin Smith?s audacious chip was tipped away by the retreating goalkeeper.

 

Not long after this, substitute Anton Dowds had doubled the home sides lead. A ball over the the Queens back four caused confusion between them. Dowds nipped in before the rushing Martin, took it around him, and placed it into the corner of the net. 

 

Although East Fife probably deserved the goal, it was an easily avoidable one for Queens.

 

The last period of the game was seen out quite comfortably by the hosts, and Queens never really looked like getting back into the game.

 

Official attendance - 579

 

A not-so-good return to Bayview for Gary Naysmith, who?s side were simply beaten by the better the team on the day. The ruthlessness in the final-third was missing which is unusual for a team normally firing on all cylinders. 

 

Overall, it is perhaps an opportunity missed in the Irn-Bru Cup with just two of the remaining eight teams playing in the Championship. Best of luck to East Fife in the remainder of the competition.

 

There is no time to rest as Queens look to close the first quarter of the season with a return to winning ways at East End Park against Dunfermline next Saturday at 3PM.