Despite coming back from two goals down to draw three apiece, Queens are out the Betfred Cup.

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There was a trio of changes for Queens at Cappielow, as Darren Brownlie (suspension), Andy McCarthy and Stephen Dobbie (injury) dropped out, and were replaced by Callum Semple, Scott Mercer and Jack Hamilton, respectively.

Kidd was shifted back to the centre of midfield, with Mercer slotting back in at right-back. The returning Callum Semple was straight in at centre-back, while the captains armband was handed to Kevin Holt, in just his fourth game since returning to the South.

Robby McCrorie, Gary Oliver and Lee Kilday were returning to Greenock after playing there last season, while Kyle Jacobs and Bob McHugh were the former Doonhamers in the Morton line-up.

And it didn?t take long for a former Morton man to get on the scoresheet. With just four minutes on the clock, a loopy ball from Connor Murray found the head of Hamilton, before Sam Ramsbottom?s save fell to the feet of Lee Kilday to give Queens the lead. Not the likeliest scorer, but a goal that Queens deserved after starting the game brightly.

Kilday heads home

Kilday runs to the travelling support to celebrate his early goal

Just a few minutes later, Morton almost drew level. Nicky Cadden was able to get in behind Mercer on the left, before delivering a wicked low ball into the box, however no one was there to meet it.

Jack Hamilton, in his first start as a striker, was dominant in the air, and almost had a goal to show for it. After taking the ball on the volley, he twisted, before hitting a venomous shot over the bar.

Aidan Nesbitt then struck a curling effort just wide of McCrorie?s far post.

The game opened up slightly, with both sides having regular chances. A cross from Dan Pybus was met by Hamilton, and then Oliver, in the area, but neither player was able to bundle the ball over the line.

Michael Paton was next to try his luck at Ramsbottom?s goal, with a curling free-kick crashing into the side-netting.

After half-an-hour, the home side were level, through John Sutton. A brilliant corner into the box from Nicky Cadden was met by Sutton who headed home from six-yards out.

The home team almost took the lead just a matter of minutes later. A save from McCrorie diving low to his left was well cleared by stand-in-skipper Kevin Holt.

Not long after though, Morton were awarded a penalty. A powerful run into the box from Strapp was halted by Kilday, who downed the Morton full-back at full pace. Nicky Cadden stepped up and calmly put the penalty away high in the net.

Referee Steven Kirkland blew his whistle not long after, signalling half-time.

HT: Morton 2-1 QoS

An even first half at Cappielow, however it was the hosts who found themselves ahead.

The home side started the first half the better of the two teams, and it was them who got the opening goal in the second period. After a barrage of corners from the Ton, ex-Queens man Bob McHugh headed home following a powerful cross from Nesbitt.

A magic formation change saw Murray and Oliver join Hamilton up front, while Paton went into centre-midfield as Queens went for a 4-3-3. And it worked an absolute a treat, with Queens pulling one back through Murray. After picking up the ball on the right, his cross was deflected off Morton captain Jim McAllister, wrong-footing goalkeeper Ramsbottom, to finds its way into the net.

Murray wrong foots the keeper to get it back to 3-2

Andy McCarthy came on for the impressive Jack Hamilton, with Paton switching to left-wing, and Gary Oliver going up-front.

Oliver was the next man to try his luck at the Ramsbottom goal, but his low driven effort rolled wide of the post.

New signing Henk van Schaik had a glorious chance after the ball fell to his feet just eight-yards out, however he sliced his effort awkwardly and McCrorie collected comfortably.

Not long later, after applying constant pressure, Queens were back on level terms. And it was Kilday?s centre-half partner Callum Semple, who scored his second goal for the club at Cappielow. After Ramsbottom spilled a cross, and McCarthy saw a shot blocked, the ball fell to the grateful feet of Semple, who passed into an empty net.

Semple nets the equaliser

Semple is keen to get the game back underway

The last 10 minutes were what the cup is all about. Both teams going gung-ho for a goal, however, it never came. Despite Queens throwing Callum Semple up-front, it was Morton who had the better chance. An Aidan Nesbitt shot was saved brilliantly by McCrorie, but the ball fell to Peter Grant to put the ball into the empty net. However, the linesman had already had his flag up, much to the dismay of the majority of the 1388 strong support.

Referee Gavin Duncan was then forced to brandish his red card to Morton manager David Hopkins for his appeals.

Nesbitt then went close again to scoring what would?ve been a winner for the home team, but McCarthy was there to prevent a goal. Pybus had the games last real chance, shooting over the bar from 20-yards.

FT: Morton 3-3 QoS

A second 3-3 draw of the group for Queens, however, they weren?t to come out on top in the penalty shoot-out. Despite McCrorie saving John Sutton?s penalty, misses from Gary Oliver and Lewis Kidd awarded Morton the bonus point. Scott Mercer, Connor Murray and Kevin Holt tucked away their penalties.

Queens finish Group E in third place, on six-points, with a win, a loss and a pair of draws.

Next week, Queens get their Championship campaign underway, travelling to newly promoted Arbroath at Gayfield.