It was back on the road this weekend as we headed to Hamilton to face Clyde. With Josh Todd`s hamstring still a concern and Iain Wilson failing a late fitness test following an impact injury, Manager, Wullie Gibson had to make two enforced changes to the side that started against Peterhead. That saw Harry Cochrane coming in along with Paul McKay who returned from his own injury as Captain.
After an opening day defeat at the hands of the Bully Wee, the boss felt there were some wrongs to put right at New Douglas Park and it was Queens who made the better start to the game with Calvin McGrory testing Ryan Mullen with a free kick after just two minutes. A short time later, Ruari Paton played the ball wide to Connor Murray who in return floated the ball back into the box, but Gavin Reilly couldnt get up high enough.
With no clear-cut chances so far, Clyde started to come into the game and put a bit of pressure on the visiting defence. Ross Cunningham looked a threat and as he set up Jordan Allan the strikers shot was blocked by Euan East. From the clearance Raymond Grant hit the ball straight at Max Currie.
Cunningham was again involved in another Clyde attack, this time his header was deflected for a corner. With Clyde on top Queens were up against it but opened the scoring after 19 minutes when Stephen Hendrie played a great ball down the left channel for Reilly who picked out Paton unmarked at the back post, and he slotted the ball home with a right foot finish and a wee dance to celebrate.
With just over half an hour played, Queens made another good move forward, this time down the right-hand side but Murrays powerful cross across the face of goal was out of reach of the forwards. The home side broke from the attack and Ewan Cameron fired wide.
A minute before the break Paton switched the ball wide to Hendrie who played the ball back into Murray in the centre of the D, but he was tripped as he tried to open up space for a shot. He got up to take the set piece himself but was denied as the ball was knocked over the bar for a corner.
HALF TIME: Clyde 0 Queens 1
Danny Lennon replaced goal-keeper Mullen with Neil Parry at half-time and within five minutes Reillys right foot shot from 19 yards was forced out for a corner. As the ball was played in the home side again broke through Cunningham and although he had two players in the middle, he held onto it too long and Queens defence were back to cover, forcing the frontman to play it wide to Cameron but he was offside.
On the hour mark Clyde did pull level, Queens were caught out on the right and as Cunningham collected the ball at the edge of the box, he fired an angled shot across Currie into the net. Two minutes later the same player tried an identical effort from the same position, but this time Max got a hand to it to save.
The Gaffer made a double substitution introducing Michael Ruth and Lee Connelly and quickly made a third as Rico Quitongo entered the field of play giving us a bit more width.
It wasnt the most inspiring game but midway through the half it opened up and as Queens hit on the counter Connellys ball in from the wing found Murray, his left foot shot was low but just wide.
Cunningham was at the heart of Clydes threats and Currie had to be alert as he tried a shot from the by-line. The game was more end to end and as Quitongo played the ball into the box it was left by Ruth but mis-controlled by fellow sub, Ewan Barge. Liam Scullion tried a long range shot before Ciaran McKenna played the ball over the top but there were no Queens players in the back area where it dropped. Currie then raced from his box to clear as Allan homed in as the game couldve gone either way.
Then with seven minutes left, Ross Lyon tripped Ruth inside the box and Alan Newlands pointed to the spot. Murray stepped up to take the penalty and confidently dispatched it low to the keepers right. Parry did dive the correct way, but it was out of reach and Queens had regained the lead.
As the home fans vented their anger towards their manager Lennon, East headed away a free kick as far as Scullion at the edge of the box but with the final kick of the game he fired high over the crossbar.
FULL TIME: Clyde 1 Queens 2