The Doonhamers put in their best performance of the year in what was the final game of 2020, as goals from Connor Shields and Tommy Goss handed Queens all three points at Starks Park.

 

 

Allan Johnston made just one change from the side that lost to Dundee on Boxing Day, with Jack Leighfield due to replace Rohan Ferguson in goals. However, Leighfield pulled up with an injury meaning that 16-year-old Charlie Cowie made his Queens debut in goals.

 

 

The hosts were missing a few players too, including Jamie MacDonald, who was replaced by another ex-Doonhamer in goals in the form of Robbie Thomson.

 

It was the South who came out the better of the two sides, with Connor Shields heading over from a delightful Wullie Gibson cross.

 

Shields, who continued to lead the line for Queens, was causing issues with his pace throughout the opening 45, finding space at will.

 

Fernand Mendy was the first man in the referee?s book for a cynical challenge on Aidan Fitzpatrick, before Gregor Buchanan saw his header from Joe McKee?s corner saved.

 

Queens were certainly the team on top, and they made their good play count, going one-up after 17 minutes. A searching Buchanan pass found James Maxwell, who headed to Euan East. East done well to play in Connor Shields who fired past Thomson into the far corner.

 

Shields fires home

Goal

 

Queens continued to impress after going ahead. Ayo Obileye nodded his header over the bar,before a dangerous McKee ball was headed narrowly wide of the target from Rovers striker Manny Duku.

 

Cowie hadn?t had too much to do bar some kicking, however he was called into action later in the half, collecting and punching from a pair of crosses from Daniel Armstrong.

 

 

A superb opening 45 minutes from the Doonhamers, who were well worth their lead at the break.

 

Queens had a job on their hands in the second-half, to hold on to the lead and not let their good first-half work go to waste.

 

The second-half was a slow burner in truth, although Queens should have doubled their lead after 59 minutes. A rapid counter-attack from the visitors allowed Fitzpatrick to put in a tasty ball to Pybus at the back-post, however Thomson scurried across his goal to deny the midfielder.

 

Thomson denies Pybus

 

The hosts began throwing on some big men, Lars Lokotsch and Gozie Ugwu joining Duku up-front to test the Queens back-line. The defence were more than a match for the home team though, with Obileye and Buchanan heading almost everything away.

 

It took 70 minutes for Rovers to test Cowie in the Queens goal, but the young ?keeper, on his school holidays just now, was on form. Firstly, he was forced into a point-blank save from Hendry, before Duku put the ball in the net, although he used his hand to control the ball so the goal was rightly disallowed. Just moments later Cowie was on hand again, this time to deny Kyle Benedictus from close-range.

 

Cowie makes a super stop to deny Benedictus

 

Shields, who?d ran tirelessly all game, was forced off with an ankle injury, replaced by Tommy Goss. More on that later?

 

Queens managed to see off every high ball Rovers were throwing at them, with the entire team putting in a real shift to prevent the hosts from making any clear-cut chances.

 

Indeed, in the second minute of injury time, Queens got rewarded for a terrific performance. East, who?d been up and down the left-wing all game, forced a mistake from Reghan Tumilty, before squaring to Tommy Goss, who tapped in for his first goal for the club.

 

Goss slots home

 

Cue the manic celebrations led by Goss, who?d given his side all three points after a brilliant performance.

 

Celebration time

 

 

A win to cap off 2020, just what was required. Every single player was absolutely sensational. It wouldn?t be right to single out individuals, however I am going to do just that. Charlie Cowie, at 16-years of age came in at the last minute, on debut, and kept only the third clean sheet of the season. Top, top performance from the young ?keeper and the entire team.

 

A safe pair of hands

 

Ayr United visit Palmerston on the second of January for a new years ?derby?. The game will be live on QosTV.