Our u18s squad were in action today in the Scottish FA Youth Cup, away at Auchinleck Talbot. Coaches, Dan Armstrong, Neil Murray and Ross Newlands, picked a strong side for the early round contest with the West Of Scotland Premiership side. The competition is for 2006 births and younger only and they don't therefore get any older than Lewis Currie, born on 1st January 2006! Lewis captained the side.

It was a hard fought and good quality contest played at Talbot's Beechwood Park on an excellent surface. Queens started well, dominating possession, but finding it difficult to unlock the home side's well marshalled defence. It took till the 24th minute for a breakthrough and it was Finlay Kennedy, fresh from sitting on the 1st team bench last week, who made it, lobbing home the opener from outside the box after beating the offside trap.

However, the lead didn't last long and Auchinleck were level within five minutes, eventually striking home from the edge of the box following a period of pressure in which they hit the bar. The home goalkeeper made two fine saves from top corner bound efforts to keep it level but Talbot also had their chances with the No 8 twice failing to hit target with close range headers. Half time 1-1.

The 2nd period began as tightly as the first but swung when Queens made the first change, Harry McLinden replacing Finlay Miller. The Carlisle based youngster came on with a point to prove and duly made it very quickly, first tapping home from two yards when Shay Meagher cut the ball back across the face of goal and then looping a header over the keeper's despairing dive to make it 3-1.

Talbot still offered a threat but in the last five minutes the margin increased. First sub Cammy Edgar broke through the offside trap and was tripped from behind just inside the penalty area, resulting in a red card for the Talbot defender. Harry McLinden duly stepped up to despatch the penalty and complete his hat-trick. And four became five in the 89th minute when a deep cross appeared to be heading out of play but instead was headed into the net from a near impossible angle, perhaps via a deflection off the keeper, by Shay Meagher.

Fitness had begun to tell perhaps but the scoreline was given a slightly fairer complexion when Talbot scored with the last kick of the game following a defensive error to make the final score Auchinleck Talbot 2 - 5 Queen of the South. We look forward to the draw for the next round.

The club would like to thank our hosts at Auchinleck for their excellent hospitality both before and after the match and wish them all the best for the rest of the season.

Team:
1 Mark Thomson, 2 Cammy Bryson, 3 Finlay Kennedy, 4 Matt Hall, 5 Niall Rogerson, 6 Lewis Currie (C), 7 Shay Meagher, 12 Ally Hilferty, 9 Finlay Millar, 10 Callum Hill, 11 Billy Gray
Subs: 14 Harry McLinden, 8 Cammy Edgar, 15 Lian Hawes, 16 Taylor Davidson, 17 Alex O'Hagan, 18 Hayden McCormack, 20 Johnny Green (GK)