Click this text to view the match photo gallery from the Under 19s match against Dundee.  Photos from Sandy Robertson.

Following their opening day win over Bonnyrigg Rose, the Under 19s took on Dundee at Palmerston in their first home game of the league campaign.

The hosts opened the scoring after 15 minutes when Harry McLinden made his way through before being upended and Cole Burke fired home the free-kick from 20-yards.

With just over half an hour gone the visitors levelled from the penalty spot and the sides were all square at the interval.

Half Time: QOS 19s 1 Dundee 19s 1

The Dens Park side took the lead 10 minutes after the break and looked on course for the win until the 90th minute when Rhinay Walls collected the ball out wide and took on his marker before catching out the keeper with a low angled shot at the near post to earn his side a draw.

Full Time: QOS 19s 2 Dundee 19s 2

Team: Thomson, Daly, Trialist, Davidson, Hall, Fyall, Burke, Ross, Darboe, McLinden & Hunter.  Subs: Dillon, Walls, Kelly, Gray, Hill, Loughran & Bowie.

The Under 19s had their first home game in the league tonight when they took on Dundee at Palmerston.  

Cole Burke opened the scoring after 15 minutes but the visitors hit back and led by two goals to one until the 90th minute when Rhilay Walls levelled to earn the youngsters a point.

Full Time: Queens 19s 2 Dundee 19s 2

As the league season get under way for our teams, the Under 17s opened their campaign away at Bonnyrigg Rose. As they prepared for the game, team sponsors Scott and Emma Eden from Genesis Occupational Health in Dumfries popped into the training session to present the boys with their new kit.

The pair also took time to speak to the squad to tell them about the business they run, outlining the purpose and type of work they do as well as letting them know why they choose to sponsor locally.

Coach Ross Newlands said “As a club we are very appreciative of Scott and Emma at Genesis for their kindness in sponsoring new strips for the team. It was great to catch up with them and to hear about all the work they do to support local businesses and organisations. I’m sure I speak on behalf of all the team in thanking them for the support they have shown us.”

The game itself at the Poltonhall Recreation ground didn’t go to plan. In a frantic start to the match, the home side took an early lead. The boys recovered and fought back to equalise, when a shot was blocked and Alfie Copland followed up to score. It was short lived though as the home side dominated and were ruthless in front of goal to lead four – one at the break.

It was similar in the second half with the hosts in control, Queens did create a few chances but it was the home side who adding a further four goals.

We would like to thank Heston Rovers for allowing goal-keeper Luca Fleming to play as a trialist for us.

Team: Trialist, Bolger, Cluckie, Dinnin, Morton, McKenzie, Copland, Craig, White, Jones & Salfenmoser. Subs: Clacherty, Banys, Hodgson

The Under 17s are back in action on Friday (8th Aug) when they play their first home game of the season against Dundee FC at Palmerston. Kick off 7pm.

Following their opening day victory away at Bonnyrigg Rose last week, a reminder that our U19s have their first home game of the new league season tomorrow (Tues 5th Aug) when they take on Dundee.

The match will be their first at Palmerston since the sad passing of their former team-mate Charlie Watson, so we will be paying tribute to him and there will be a minute applause ahead of kick off.

Entry to the stadium will be via the silver gate next to the Arena. There will be a charge of £3 per person, with Under 16s free.

Please note the match kicks off at 7pm.

Following the resignation of director Jim McLinden we have taken some time to assess where we are and would like to bring some clarity to the situation.

Jim resigned for personal reasons on Sunday morning and left the club with immediate effect. These things happen in business and we would like to wish Jim and his family all the best for the future.

For now our priority will be what happens on the park. We had a very good opening day win at Cove. It’s our first game so we need to build on it to achieve the ambition of getting the club out of the division and back into the Championship.

Any further update will be communicated in due course. In the meantime, continue to back the team and thank you for your loyal support.

We can confirm that Director, Jim McLinden has this morning submitted his resignation and leaves the club with immediate effect.  There will be no further comment at this stage.

It was a long trip north to face Cove Rangers for our opening league game of 2025/26. Manager, Peter Murphy made four changes to the side that started the final Premier Sports Cup group match at Stranraer. Mikey Hewitt, Niall Rogerson, Euan Ross and Jack Stott all dropped to the bench with Matty Douglas, Taylor Charters, Jack Hannah and Benji Luissint all coming into the line-up.

Back to where it all ended last season, Queens faced a tough opener but they were up for it and within the first five minutes, Kurtis Guthrie got on the end of a cross but his header was easily collected by Robbie Mutch.

The game was free-flowing and as Ryan Harrington made his way into the box for the home side, Douglas made a good challenge. Back at the other end of the park, Ben Johnstone floated a free-kick into the box, again Guthrie got his head on it but this time it was straight into the arms of the keeper.

Douglas was called upon again when Layton Bisland played the ball along the 18-yard line for Mitch Megginson but the defender was on hand to block.

Queens were playing well and as Michael Doyle blocked from Kai Kennedy, Johnstone played in the corner only for Justin Eguaibor to clear for another set-piece. As the ball came in from the other side again from Johnstone, Jack Hannah nodded it back across and this time Guthrie’s header came off the post and into the net to give Queens the lead after 19 minutes.

Midway through the half, Kennedy hit a right foot shot but it was high and wide of the target. And as Cove attacked, Fraser Fyvie was in on goal, Ross Stewart blocked but the offside flag was up anyway.

The visitors continued to cause problems and as Liam Smith went on a great run through the middle, he created an opening for himself but his last touch inside the box was too heavy.

Minutes later Smith was involved in another Queens move when he linked up with Kennedy down the right before bursting into the box only for his shot to be saved.

With just under half an hour played, Harrington played a great ball into the box to Fyvie at the back post, he knocked it into the net but the flag was up and it didn’t count.

As Queens pushed for a second, Kennedy hit a free-kick from 25-yards but it was well taken by Mutch. Before Guthrie had another header off the post but it wouldn’t have been given as the assistant had raised the flag.

With minutes of the first half remaining Smith and Johnstone were trying to find a way through a packed six-yard area, Johnstone did manage to have a shot but it was the wrong side of the upright. Arron Darge fired wide of the post from outside of the box at the other end, before Smith was high with his effort from 25-yards for Queens. The final chance before the break fell to the hosts when Fyvie’s shot was cleared into the air by Hannah, as it dropped Stewart was there to push it over for a corner.

HALF TIME: Cove Rangers 0 Queens 1

It had been a great first half performance by Queens and they continued after the interval and J Eguaibor made a good block from Guthrie as he got on the end of a terrific cross into the area from Luissint.

With just over an hour played, Cove started to press more and Mackenzie Strachan’s free-kick had to be headed clear by Hannah. Minutes later the central defender was caught up in a moment of controversy when Queens thought they had doubled their lead. Hannah had made his way to the other end of the park and got the ball across for Guthrie to score, only for the officials to dem his challenge for the ball to be a foul of the keeper and therefore the goal didn’t stand. The defender sustained a rib injury during the collision and had to be replaced.

Queens were further aggrieved five minutes later when they were denied a penalty when Reece Lyon went down in the box.

They did get a second, nine minutes from time when Guthrie’s effort was blocked but fell to Kennedy on the left-hand side of the box and the winger hit a low shot across goal into the bottom corner.

The two- goal advantage was no more than Queens deserved but as Paul Hartley’s side hit back and Stewart had to dive to his right to stop Harrington’s low free-kick from 19-yards.

It was Queens who had the final chance of the game when Smith worked his way into the box but his left foot shot lacked power.

Overall, a good solid team performance from the boys on the opening day resulted in a two-nil win.

FULL TIME: Cove Rangers 0 Queens 2

Teams:

Cove Rangers: Mutch, Bisland, Doyle, Strachan, J Eguaibor, Harrington, Yule, Megginson, Darge, Fyvie (D Eguaibor 46) & Parker. Subs not used: Demus, Ochmanski, Donaldson & Milnes.

Queens: Stewart, Charters, Lyon, Douglas, Hannah (Rogerson 74), Smith, Luissint (Stott 80), Kennedy (Darboe 91), Penman, Johnstone & Guthrie (Hewitt 91). Subs not used: Thomson, Ross, McLinden, Trialist & Burke.

Ref: Joel Kennedy

Crowd: 402