Queen of the South made the short journey to neighbours Annan Athletic in the second game in the Premier Sports Cup knowing that anything other than a win would essentially end the Doonhamers Premier Sports Cup campaign. And a win Queens got, as goals from Ruari Paton and a brace from Ally Roy meant the South were comfortable winners.
There were two changes from the side that lost to Queens Park on the opening day, Roy and 19-year-old Scott Dunn coming in for full debuts, replacing Alex Cooper and Josh Todd. Former Galabankie Niyah Joseph lined-up for the South, whilst Owen Moxon and Aidan Smith started for the hosts, with Tommy Goss on the bench.
The Doonhamers lined up in a 3-4-1-2 formation, with Roberto Nditi and Euan East playing either side of Dunn. Willie Gibson started at left-wing back, Paton on the right, whilst Roy joined Ruben Soares Junior up front.
Queens started the game well on top, testing Greg Fleming various times in the opening minutes of the game through Roy, Lee Connelly and Junior.
Josh Rae then made a smart save to deny Dominic Docherty from range as the hosts slowly grew into the game.
Queens remained the more threatening though, and came within inches of taking the lead on 19 minutes as Dunn struck the post with a volley from a Connelly corner.
A pair of bookings came on 29 minutes after Connelly and Matthew Douglas had some handbags on the halfway line.
But the diminutive Queens winger got back up and headed down the left wing to deliver a delicious ball into the box for Ruari Paton to get his head on and nod home from close range.
Paton heads through Flemings legs to open the scoring
Paton celebrates his strike
It was no less than Queens deserved after a completely dominant start to the game and it was almost two on 36 minutes as East saw a volley cleared off the line by the head of Docherty.
Paton saw another header at the back-post cleared off the line in the closing stages of the opening period, before Mike Roncone blew his whistle to signal half-time.
HT: Annan 0-1 Queens
Queens? quality shone through in the first half, the only disappointment being the fact that they only led by one. The young backline strolled things, especially Dunn who was making his first appearance for the club. East continued to look like he?d been playing centre-back for years.
Youngster Dunn made an impressive debut
The second half got underway much like the first half ended with Queens well on top.
It only took five minutes for Queens to muster a chance in the second period after another dangerous Connelly cross was met in the box, this time by the head of Ally Roy, who glanced a gorgeous header home into the top corner from 15 yards.
Roy heads home the second
The travelling Queens support celebrate with Roy
It gave the away side a little breathing space on Annan, who reacted quickly by introducing Goss for Chris Johnston.
Calvin McGrory, who again was instrumental in protecting the Queens defence, was next in Roncone?s book after a high challenge on Tony Wallace.
Wallace then spurned a good chance for the hosts from the edge of the area, before Dunn?s night was ended early after being forced off with cramp.
Dom McMahon replaced Dunn, coming on at left-wing back with the skipper dropping into the back three.
As Queens lost some of their attacking potency Annan began looking far more comfortable.
And they came within a goal of the South on 74 minutes as substitute Kyle Fleming fired home from just inside the area, leaving Rae with absolutely no chance.
Annan net a consolation
The home team were in the ascendency by this point and boasted a significant height advantage with the likes of Steven Swinglehurst, Douglas and Goss all on the park.
But despite needing a goal they lacked any sort of spark in the final third ? a spark that only Gibson had.
The Queens skipper waltzed his way through half of the Annan team as he went on a 50 yard run. The evergreen defended then played in Ally Roy who made absolutely no mistake in finishing from close range past the helpless ?keeper.
Roy nets his second
FT: Annan 1-3 Queens
A scoreline that was a fair representation of the game, although Queens could well have had more than three.
Impressive full debuts for both Dunn and Roy, but it?ll be the latter who?ll grabs the headlines after a terrific brace.
Next up for Queens it?s a trip to Fir Park as we visit Motherwell in the third game of our Premier Sports Cup campaign.
Finlay Jack