Football returned to Palmerston as we welcomed Motherwell for our first competitive game of the new season and the Group G Viaplay League Cup tie didn?t disappoint.

The first real chance of the game came for Queens after six minutes when a ball over the top was decent but just too far ahead of Craig McGuffie. With both sides looking sharp, the visitors were next to have a go when Callum Slattery hit a low shot that was blocked for a corner, which Paul McGinn then headed over.

The breakthrough came with 18 minutes played when Kieran McKechnie opened the scoring with a peach of a strike that hit the inside of the post on its way past Aston Oxborough to give Queens the lead.

Stuart Kettlewell?s side were looking to get back on level terms and Lennon Miller hit a shot from distance, but it was straight at Gordon Botterill.

Midway through the half, McKechnie looked a threat as he made his way down the right and found space to deliver for Gavin Reilly inside the box, his header was on target but well saved by the keeper. As Motherwell made their way up field, Miller again forced Botterill into making a save.

It was an entertaining end to end cup tie and with half an hour gone, Queens made a charge through Reilly who in turn slipped the ball through for Lee Connelly. The wee number 10 went down at the edge of the box, but nothing was given.

The game was all square again, five minutes before the break when Blair Spittal got on the end of a cutback to side foot the ball into the net. Two minutes later, McKechnie thought he had restored the advantage as he accepted Connelly?s pass and kept the ball low as he played it past Oxborough only for the flag to go up.

Slattery had the ball in the net at the other end for Well but only after the whistle had gone for a challenge on Cammy Logan.

HALF TIME: QUEENS 1 MOTHERWELL 1

As expected, Motherwell came out and stepped up their game after the interval and Jonathan Obika got on the end of Spittal?s cross only to head wide. They did take the lead ten minutes in when Slattery was given time and space to run through to fire a right foot shot past Botterill. It was a good finish but poor from Queens that he got the opportunity.

With a grip on the game, Spittal fired high and wide before substitute Conor Wilkinson had a header saved. It was a decent spell for the visitors and Slattery was again given too much respect to create a chance when he fired the ball across goal, Wilkinson was in the area, but Queens turned it wide for a corner.

Obika then hit the underside of the crossbar from close range before Queens got themselves back into the tie, with Reilly on hand to slot the ball low into the bottom corner from inside the six-yard box as the ball came in from the right.

Three minutes later the game took another twist when McGinn waltzed into the box to cross for Spittal to fire Motherwell back in front.

Queens weren?t done and they again levelled the game with nine minutes remaining. Connelly went down in the box under Lamie?s challenge and this time Craig Napier pointed to the spot. Reilly smashed the resulting spot kick high into the net to make it three all.

Fir Park defender, Ricki Lamie was unhappy with the decision and picked up a booking for dissent and it proved costly as he picked up another yellow card in the final minute of normal time following a poor challenge on McKechnie.

Queens were strong in the closing stages and with Motherwell down to ten men they kept going. McKechnie, Josh Todd and Ross Irving all looking to get in on the action as they chased a winner. It wasn?t to be and with both sides sharing six goals at the end of regulation time, it was onto penalties to decide who would pick up the bonus point.

Reilly, Reegan Mimnaugh, Paul McKay and Todd all scored for Queens with Spittal, Wilkinson, Slattery and McGinn converting their kicks for Motherwell. McKechnie who had been outstanding for Queens on the night, had his penalty saved by Oxborough, before Stephen O?Donnell scored to make it 5-4 to the visitors.

Although beaten on penalties it was a very competitive and strong performance from Queens against a very good Premier league side and they can be happy with a point from the first game in the group.

FULL TIME: QUEENS 3 MOTHERWELL 3 (Motherwell taking the bonus point, 5 ? 4 on penalties)